In its effort to rid its ranks of corruption, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has barred 137 members from re-enlisting.

Deputy head of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Senior Superintendent of Police Selvin Hay, noted that 106 persons were arrested on suspicion of corruption during 2010, and charges were successfully laid against 71 of them.

Hay explained that the remaining 35 persons were not all released, as some were dealt with internally.

"I'm not going to say that all of them were released because when we arrest them, (for) some of them, the evidence is not strong enough to charge them criminally, but they are charged departmentally. So, the 71 represents criminal charges and the rest are dealt with departmentally, or otherwise," he said.

breakdown of report

Giving a breakdown of the report, Hay noted that for the January 1 to December 31 period, 28 police were retired in the public interest; 23 were dismissed as a result of corruption, with some cases still before the courts; and 36 staff members were charged with corruption.

Hay noted that civilians had a major role in influencing staff to engage in unscrupulous activities. It was revealed in the report that 35 civilians were charged for trying to corrupt members of the JCF.

Pointing to other accomplishments of the branch in its anti-corruption efforts, Hay noted that calls to the 1-800-CORRUPT begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-CORRUPT      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (267-7878) line have also produced "enormous" results.

Launched in 2009, the JCF's toll-free number is intended to provide an independent, secure and anonymous telephone line, through which members of the JCF, the Customs Department and the public can relay information, or intelligence, on corrupt practices which members may be engaged in.

The ACB, established in September 2007, assumed the task of combating corruption within the JCF and its auxiliaries, replacing the Internal Affairs Division.