Self-inflicted wounds hurting JCF, says Blake

POLICE Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake has warned the men and women under his command that their conduct could torpedo the good work they have done in the recent past and the strong support they now enjoy.

“Much of the challenges that we have faced are caused by our very own,” Blake wrote in his column in the latest weeklyForce Orders.

In a thinly veiled comment surrounding the current impasse over the leadership of the Police Officers Association (POA), Blake described the situation as one of “self-inflicted” difficulty for the organisation.

Head of the POA, Senior Superintendent Wayne Cameron was last week charged with five counts of fraudulent conversion and six counts of larceny as a servant arising from the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the entity — at a time when his continued leadership of the organisation, which represents police officers, is the subject of a court battle.

Blake, in his column, argued that circumstances had previously constrained his ability to speak openly on the matter, but signalled that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) could no longer afford silence in the face of issues that strike at its credibility.

The commissioner signalled that his earlier restraint was deliberate and responsible.

“I would have been negligent to knowingly allow this to continue because of the fear of backlash and disapproval,” said Blake as he pointed to the tension between public expectation, internal process, and the demands of institutional leadership.

Blake framed the issue as one of organisational integrity rather than individual controversy, as he warned that internal misconduct poses a greater threat to the progress of the JCF than external criticism.

“These self-inflicted wounds provide the greatest risk of distraction and disappointment,” Blake wrote, as he cautioned that they divert attention from the JCF’s ongoing operational and reform efforts.

With some public commentators questioning the commissioner’s moves in the POA controversy, Blake was firm on the standards for leadership and representation in the JCF.

“That which represents must be a reflection of that which is represented,” said Blake, charging that, “There is absolutely no place in representation for persons who lack integrity, discipline, credibility, and honesty.”

Blake was stinging as he charged that there are people who seek leadership roles in the JCF without a commitment to its values.

“If your first order of business is self-preservation rather than the interest of the organisation and its members, you are better off staying away from leadership positions,” declared Blake as he accepted that his decisions in the POA matter sparked “significant public discourse” and that “many ascribed several unpleasant motives” to his actions.

According to Blake, leadership requires firmness, even when such decisions are unpopular.

“As leaders we must never let popularity get in the way of right decisions, even when it is hard,” said Blake.

He closed his column by urging members of the JCF to remain disciplined and focused, charging that institutional credibility depends on individual conduct.

“Leadership and representation must never be used as a stage for self-interest and grandstanding,” declared Blake.

He also called on members of the JCF to protect the integrity of the force “at a time when public trust remains critical”.

Senior Superintendent Wayne Cameron, head of the Police Officer’s Association, was last week charged with five counts of fraudulent conversion and six counts of larceny as a servant arising from the alleged misappropriation of funds belonging to the entity.