US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON1460

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINGSTON 001460 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (NICHOLS, BENT) 
PASS USAID FOR DARBY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, KCRM, JM 
SUBJECT: DIRECTOR OF CARIBBEAN AFFAIRS VISITS USAID-FUNDED 
INNER CITY COMMUNITY POLICING FACILITY 
 
REF: A. KINGSTON 01342 
 
     B. KINGSTON 01363 
     C. KINGSTON 01346 
     D. KINGSTON 01361 
 
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Summary 
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1. On May 12, WHA/CAR Director Brian Nichols toured the 
USAID-funded Grants Pen Community Policing Facility located 
in Kingston.  Facilitating the tour from the American Chamber 
of Commerce (Amcham) was Becky Stockhausen and Bob Olson from 
the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).  Stockhausen 
noted that this is the first model community policing center 
to be built in partnership with the citizens and private 
sector businesses while Nichols expressed admiration for the 
work of the community and its ability to effectively address 
social ills.  Reftels report Director Nichols's other 
meetings during his visit.  End Summary. 
 
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Community Police Services Facility 
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2. On May 12, WHA/CAR Director Brian Nichols, accompanied by 
AmCham Executive Director Becky Stockhausen and Robert Olson, 
Community Policing Advisor for the USAID-funded Police 
Executive Research Forum (PERF), USAID Deputy Director, and 
Poloff, toured the construction site of the Community 
Policing Services Facility in Grants Pen.  The facility, 
scheduled for completion in August 2005, will offer a wide 
range of services to residents of Grants Pen, including a 
post office, an automatic banking machine, an internet access 
center, a facility to temporarily house battered women and 
children, a health clinic, evidence and suspect interviewing 
rooms and a community room for training and meetings, in 
addition to a full-service community police station.  PERF 
officials are working with local residents and Jamaica 
Constabulary Force (JCF) officers assigned to Grants Pen to 
develop community programs that will be operated out of this 
new facility after its opening. Stockhausen stressed that 
although the policing facility is located in the constituency 
of Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MP and shadow justice minister 
Delroy Chuck, employees of the construction site are 
supporters of both the JLP and the ruling People's National 
Party (PNP).  She said that there has not been any feuding 
between the two groups. 
 
3. Following the tour of the construction site, Olson 
provided a brief walking tour of the neighboring community 
where people have taken "ownership" of the land and have 
erected very small one room housing units.  Through Amcham 
funding, a public restroom facility was built in the middle 
of this 30-unit housing compound.  Nichols stated that he was 
very impressed with the entire project.  Not only did it 
address the important issue of crime, he said, it also 
provided services critically needed in the community.  The 
policing program reinforces the need for the police to work 
hand-in-hand with the community. 
 
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Background on USAID's Community Policing Program 
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4. In 2003, as part of its effort to strengthen the rule of 
law and combat corruption, USAID initiated a pilot community 
policing program - the first of its kind in Jamaica - to help 
reduce the incidence of major crimes and to improve 
police-community relations in the volatile inner-city 
community of Grants Pen.  In the 1980's and 1990's, Grants 
Pen was afflicted with high levels of crime and violence, 
which resulted in stagnant development, hindered investment 
and an intractably high unemployment rate. 
 
5. The community policing program is a multi-faceted 
initiative that aims to rebuild trust between the JCF and 
residents of Grants Pen.  The program is being implemented 
under a cooperative agreement with the Police Executive 
Research Forum (PERF) and is comprised of three main 
components:  (1) support for the establishment of a private 
sector-financed model community police service facility; (2) 
strengthening community policing practices through 
specialized training of police and community leaders; and (3) 
support for community-police interaction that is establishing 
and expanding effective partnerships. 
 
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Comment 
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6. In less than two years, USAID's community policing 
activities have contributed to the reduction of certain types 
of crime and violence in Grants Pen, such as robbery and 
armed assault. While USAID's community policing program is 
only one of several contributing factors to this reduced 
crime rate, it is without doubt, a key one.  As the first 
major donor to address crime and violence in Grants Pen, 
USAID's initiative is serving to initiate the creation of 
partnerships between the police and private sector as well as 
mobilize resources to improve security while providing a 
community policing model for future replication throughout 
Jamaica.  USAID's monetary contribution to the program has 
exceeded US$3.3 million and Amcham funding and in-kind 
contributions have totaled more than USD 2.3 million to date. 
 End Comment. 
 
7. This cable has been cleared by WHA/CAR Director Brian 
Nichols. 
ROBINSON