WITH all his flamboyance and obvious flaws, retired Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams, for good or

ill, represents for many Jamaicans someone who

they believe can make

a contribution to the containment of crime. The call for Adams is an index of their frustration and level of desperation, but also a signal of hope that in him the situation can be redressed. There is something to be

said about his continued popularity among the ordinary citizens of Jamaica and even among some upper crusts who would not want to acknowledge it publicly, but who believe in the security that his kind of policinig represents. His fearlessness in standing up to the criminal elements is the primary factor in this continuing admiration.

If we are to be fair and objective in our assessment, it must be acknowledged that the mistakes that were made in his previous job cannot entirely be laid at the feet of the crime management unit that he headed. If he “ran wild” and behaved like a loose cannon, he did so because he was allowed to. If he behaved without accountability, he was allowed to do so because the powers that be largely turned a blind eye to his activities

and became concerned only when his excesses became intolerable. There was hardly any tight supervision by

the unit’s superiors. Most important, there was no kind of psychological support that such a unit needed.

Fighting crime in Jamaica at any given time is a very stressful situation. Placing people at the forefront where they have to take the fight directly to the terrorist elements that we have in Jamaica is particularly stressful. There was every indication that the crime management unit that Adams headed was under severe psychological stress, yet they were allowed to continue on the front line when reason suggested that they should have been removed, if even temporarily, for evaluation, rest and rejuvenation. This would have given them a

new perspective to continue

to fight.

With the kind of stress under which they operated, all kinds of mistakes could be made. And they were made – in Braeton, Crawle in Clarendon and to some extent the ill-fated expedition in Tivoli Gardens. But the unit was allowed largely to operate as a law unto itself. They sometimes acted in tandem with what takes place when checks and balances are not in place.

I would not be one to argue for Mr Adams to be made commissioner of police. His

crime-fighting fearlessness is one thing; his lack of intimidation to confront the most seasoned criminal cannot be denied. But being a commissioner of police is not just about operational duties. On a wider level there has to be a certain temperament that has to be brought to the job. There are core philosophical principles regarding policing that have to be grasped. I do not believe that you have to have a PhD or any other degree to be able to grasp these principles, but in his public utterances and general demeanour, Mr Adams has

not demonstrated to us convincingly that he understands, especially that cardinal principle of law, that a person is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This is not semantics; it is enshrined as a core philosophy of policing.

Despite our impatience with the principles of human rights (because of the severity of our crime problems), people do have rights that need to be protected. Again, I do not get the impression that Mr Adams is sufficiently sensitive to the protection of the human rights of every Jamaican. People in the ghetto must be treated with the same kind of respect we afford the people in Beverly Hills. I am not sure Mr Adams has fully grasped the importance of what this means for the long-term health of a society like Jamaica.

On these bases I would deny him the post of commissioner at this time. It was unfortunate for the Police Service Commission to cauterise his application on the basis that he does not have a degree. With

a correct grasp of the

core philosphical principles outlined above, I think he could make an effective commissioner without a degree. In saying all this, I believe there is a place for him in the operational activities

of the force. I believe the present clamour is not for

him necessarily to be commissioner but that he be allowed to use his consummate operational skills in the crime-fighting strategies of the country. Mr Adams should recognise this and not get ahead of himself to think otherwise. He could be engaged on a contractual basis with strict supervision and a clear and definable set of deliverables. This would see him operating directly from the commissioner’s office

and under his supervision. Summary dismissal or termination of contract should be at the determination of the commissioner. There are protocols that would have to be worked out with the Police Service Commission, but I frankly cannot see that there should be a problem here.

Mr Adams is at heart a policemen. Security concerns are wired into his DNA. He has been a career policeman and I do not believe that he should be punished for the kind of personality he exudes. He has a tendency to be talkative, and like US Vice-President Joe Biden, to say things that are later regretted. But he is who he is and with proper monitoring and supervision he should be given a chance to make a further contribution in addressing the crime situation in the country. With all the talk, very few people in Jamaica has the bravery that he has. And we need courage at this time, not only in fighting crime but in tackling the numerous problems that we face.

stead6655@aol.com

www.drraulston.com