US embassy cable - 05KINGSTON2224

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 002224 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INL/LP (BOZZOLO), WHA/CAR (BENT), WHA/PDA, 
CA/OCS/ACS/WHA (BRANSON), DOJ FOR OPDAT (LIPMAN), WHA/PPC 
(ARMSTRONG), DS/IP/WHA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/19/2014 
TAGS: PREL, SNAR, KCRM, ASEC, JM, corruption 
SUBJECT: SENIOR FOREIGN POLICE OFFICER REQUESTS EMBASSY 
COOPERATION IN ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS 
 
REF: KINGSTON 02107 
 
Classified By: Charge Ronald Robinson for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) On September 15, at his request, Jamaica Constabulary 
Force (JCF) Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields visited Embassy 
Kingston to meet with NAS Director, RSO, TAT, and DAO to 
discuss expanding cooperation in addressing corruption within 
the JCF.  Shields is a senior officer with the London 
Metropolitan Police currently on contract to the JCF to 
assist in the reform of that organization.  The meeting was a 
follow-on to an August 29 meeting between Shields and NAS 
Director - reftel.  Shields began by reiterating that 
corruption is widespread in the JCF and that, even though he 
does not have support from Commissioner of Police Lucius 
Thomas to tackle corruption, he will nevertheless continue to 
work on corruption matters.  Shields awaits the arrival of 
additional foreign officers to gain operational and moral 
support to fight what he described as "rampant" corruption 
with the JCF. 
 
2. (C) Shields specifically asked Embassy law enforcement 
officials to assist him in this endeavor by providing to him 
directly, any information or evidence of corruption by JCF 
officers.  He stated that while some lower-level officers 
have been arrested for misdeeds, these were tended to be for 
petty offences such as soliciting or accepting bribes from 
motorists.  Shields noted that targeting senior officers will 
send a clearer message that corruption will not be tolerated. 
 In return for Embassy cooperation, Shields offered to 
provide emboffs with specific information on all cases 
related to U.S. citizens as well as general information on 
crime in Jamaica. 
 
3. (C) RSO and Shields discussed three senior officers that 
have been implicated in illegal operations ranging from drug 
smuggling to selling illegal weapons and ammunition.  Shields 
stated that he has received telephone calls from private 
individuals as well as from other JCF officers, and that the 
same senior officers' names are always mentioned.  Shields 
and RSO scheduled a follow-on meeting to discuss how they 
might work together to see that the three senior officers are 
properly investigated. 
 
4. (C) Comment:  Shields' expression of interest in working 
closely with the Embassy in pressing an anti-corruption 
agenda seems genuine, and he is clearly frustrated by senior 
JCF colleagues' unwillingness to work with him.  He needs as 
much support as he can get.  As appropriate, Post will 
continue to work with Shields and press the GOJ to take 
meaningful steps to address corruption. 
ROBINSON