When police corruption is our fault

IT can be too easy to distrust the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). Not least with the corruption row between the rank-and-file represented by the Police Federation and Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, a former Scotland Yard officer.

Green had said that a number of murdered police personnel had themselves been involved in criminal activity. This riled Raymond Wilson, president of the federation, who demanded that his senior officer show evidence, or resign.

Unfortunately for Wilson, the Observer newspaper reported yesterday that a constable found shot dead in his car last week, allegedly had ganja in his possession, apparently to sell, and a bail bond 'that he should not have had'.

News of police corruption is sadly no surprise. Just last week journalist Julian Richardson just saw his case thrown out of court, after police falsely charged him with attempted bribery and threatened to kill him.

"Be careful," the judge cautioned Richardson on the way out.

In that case Richardson had refused to pay a bribe. But for many it's too easy a choice; pay a few thousand dollars fine or a give a few hundred to the policeman. Probably most people take the last option. And police will expect that.

But while we can blame police, society could also consider whether, 'we get the constabulary we deserve'. After all the law itself says there are two guilty parties: the corrupted and the corrupter.