IN A move aimed at tackling widespread police misconduct in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), three former narcotics officers have been retired in the public's interest, and stripped of an attractive retirement package.
The affected members have been identified as Woman Corporal Joy Street; Woman Corporal Norma Porter and Constable Oral Hylton.
A release from the Office of the Commis-sioner of Police stated that the three members were retired "due to their unprofessional conduct at the Donald Sangster Airport while attached to the Narcotics Division of the JCF".
They join the ranks of eight other colleagues who have been retired in the interest of the public, since the start of 2009.
The Gleaner has since learnt that the incident, which sparked the investigation on the trio, dates back to 2005.
"The retiring of the two corporals and the constable in the public interest follows the approval of the governor general, acting on the advice of the Privy Council," the release read. "The governor general has also directed that the retiring benefits of the three police officers be reduced by 75 per cent."
The JCF website states that, over the past 12 months, the Anti-Corruption Branch has been implementing the objectives set out in its plan - Working Together for a Valued and Trusted JCF. Several of the objectives have been met, while others are still being worked on.
It noted that its aim, Raising the Fear of Detection, has caused several members of the JCF to change their actions, and that the branch is also aware that some members have become even more creative in carrying out corrupt practices, which has prompted improved investigative and information gathering tools.
"Retirement in the public's interest is one of the processes available to the police commissioner when he has lost confidence in members," Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Felice, who has been head of the Anti-Corruption Branch since 2007, said yesterday.
"We are trying to remove bad apples from the force and it is sending a message that persons must act within the law and guidelines of the JCF."
In October, eight JCF personnel were issued with letters instructing them to retire in the public's interest.
