Jamaica Constabulary Force

Like any government, Jamaica has its own police force. In Jamaica, the police force is called the Jamaica Constabulary Force, or JCF. The commissioner is Owen Ellington and he is responsible for about 9,500 employees at 190 police stations. The JCF is split into 19 divisions and 5 areas, with 4 centers for recruiting new officers.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force abides by a document known as the Citizens' Charter. Originally established by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson, this charter describes citizens' rights and serves as a reference for evaluating the performance of the police force. The main purpose of the Citizens' Charter is to encourage citizens to help police

fight crime and prevent violence. With crime and violence continuing to persist all across the country despite the JCF's efforts, citizen participation is essential to accomplishing a safer environment for all citizens. The fact that about 50 JCF officers have been killed in the past 9 years while on duty is a testament to the dangers of serving as a police officer in Jamaica and a stark reminder of the necessity for the public to help the police whenever possible.

The JCF's primary role is to maintain order and the law of the land. The force is also responsible for preventing and investigating crime, identifying crime when it is happening or is likely to happen, protecting the property of the citizens, protecting the lives of the citizens and enforcing the laws of the island of Jamaica. When it is necessary, the force can also be used to aid the public in times of crisis, elevated risk or when assistance is needed otherwise. The Citizens' Charter calls for transparency in the JCF's operations as well as the impartial service to the laws of the penal code of Jamaica.

The history of the Jamaican police force dates back two or three hundred years, depending on how you count. In the early 1700's, the major cities of Jamaica – Kingston, Port Royal, Saint Andrew and Saint Catharine – employed night watchmen to keep guard and uphold the laws. However, these watchmen did not form an official police force. Although they were authorized by the government to enforce the law, it was more of an informal position, rather than an official one in the way that we think of police officers today. An official police force, that was meant to be a permanent institution in Jamaica, was formed in 1832, though it only lasted for about 30 years. In 1865, there was an uprising that is now referred to as the Morant Bay rebellion, in which many people on both sides of the law lost their lives. The rebellion showed that the peacekeeping capacity of the police force at the time was not sufficient to actually keep the peace, so it was clear that changes had to be made.

After the Morant Bay Rebellion, the Jamaica Constabulary Force was formed as an improved version of the regular police force. The new JCF was directed by an Inspector General, who was an appointee of the British Governor to Jamaica, as well as 984 other members of the new police force. Today, the force is quite large, with 45 separate organizational units working together to keep the peace and enforce the law. These units cover a wide range of necessary services, from Motorized Patrol, Narcotics, Fraud Squad and Marine and Canine Divisions to Special Operations, Special Investigations, Child Abuse and Mounted Troop.

Within the 45 divisions of the JCF, there are 11 ranks which are assigned to the officers. These ranks, from lowest to highest, are Constable, Corporal, Sergeant, Inspector, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner. All of the ranks are designated by various combinations of chevrons, laurel wreaths and stars on the sleeves and shoulders of the uniforms – except for the rank of Constable, which carries with it no distinguishing marks on the uniform. All ranks from Constable to Sergeant wear trousers colored in blue and black, with red stripes. Their uniform also includes a white and blue shirt and a black hat with a red stripe. Higher ranking officers, from Inspector to Commissioner, wear a uniform composed of a khaki shirt, trousers and jacket with a blue and black cap adorned with a black stripe and silver braid. On special occasions, all officers sometimes wear a special, ceremonial uniform.