Dear Editor,
It was with mixed feelings of joy and trepidation that I read the news report of the impending merger of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) to take effect during the 2014/2015 financial year, according to Minister of National Security Peter Bunting.
Ever since I was a child I have been puzzled over the difference between the "blue seam" and "red seam" policemen. My uncle was a "red seam" policeman and tried unsuccessfully to communicate to me how superior the "red seam" was to the "blue seam". As far as I could see they were the same except for the different colour stripe down their uniforms.
I know I am not alone in my thinking. I posit that if a survey were to be carried out, less than 50 per cent of the populace would be able to articulate the difference between both entities. When my uncle tried to explain it to me, I understood it to mean that the ISCF had no jurisdictional power to make arrests and were, in essence, only "walk foot" policemen, who at the time had no gun. My confusion to the roles of both organizations did not diminish as I grew older, as I saw the work of both the JCF and ISCF frequently coinciding.
Since the days of my uncle I have seen members of the ISCF making arrests and driving up and down with big guns. So it seems to me that not only are we wasting valuable resources on overhead expenses, but also, as the Commissioner rightly pointed out, the merging of these two entities would eliminate "the duplication in administrative services," along with duplication in operational services, I would add.
Experience dictates that this will be far from a smooth transition, as there will be "fallouts" between those who believe the JCF is superior to the ISCF and those who wish to retain perceived power as an "independent" unit.
I won't even want to mention the usual snail's pace of "the powers that be" to get anything done that is worth doing, wasting valuable resources in the process. However, 2014 being a year of "deliverance" -- I leave this one for those wishing to study numbers -- as well as the fact that it is my personal belief that this merger is a good thing that will see a reduction of crime in Jamaica have given me some confidence in believing a change in administration is coming soon for the greater good. But that's just my opinion. If for no other reason but to save money, I would say to these powers that be, hurry up! Mek dis happen quick! We have waited for over 20 years for this marriage. It's time the Jamaican public gets to cut the wedding cake.
Minister J Gumbs
How Ya Livin Now Deliverance Outreach Ministry
eldergumbs@howyalivinnow.org
Blue seam, red
seam -- one force
-->
It was with mixed feelings of joy and trepidation that I read the news report of the impending merger of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) to take effect during the 2014/2015 financial year, according to Minister of National Security Peter Bunting.
Ever since I was a child I have been puzzled over the difference between the "blue seam" and "red seam" policemen. My uncle was a "red seam" policeman and tried unsuccessfully to communicate to me how superior the "red seam" was to the "blue seam". As far as I could see they were the same except for the different colour stripe down their uniforms.
I know I am not alone in my thinking. I posit that if a survey were to be carried out, less than 50 per cent of the populace would be able to articulate the difference between both entities. When my uncle tried to explain it to me, I understood it to mean that the ISCF had no jurisdictional power to make arrests and were, in essence, only "walk foot" policemen, who at the time had no gun. My confusion to the roles of both organizations did not diminish as I grew older, as I saw the work of both the JCF and ISCF frequently coinciding.
Since the days of my uncle I have seen members of the ISCF making arrests and driving up and down with big guns. So it seems to me that not only are we wasting valuable resources on overhead expenses, but also, as the Commissioner rightly pointed out, the merging of these two entities would eliminate "the duplication in administrative services," along with duplication in operational services, I would add.
Experience dictates that this will be far from a smooth transition, as there will be "fallouts" between those who believe the JCF is superior to the ISCF and those who wish to retain perceived power as an "independent" unit.
I won't even want to mention the usual snail's pace of "the powers that be" to get anything done that is worth doing, wasting valuable resources in the process. However, 2014 being a year of "deliverance" -- I leave this one for those wishing to study numbers -- as well as the fact that it is my personal belief that this merger is a good thing that will see a reduction of crime in Jamaica have given me some confidence in believing a change in administration is coming soon for the greater good. But that's just my opinion. If for no other reason but to save money, I would say to these powers that be, hurry up! Mek dis happen quick! We have waited for over 20 years for this marriage. It's time the Jamaican public gets to cut the wedding cake.
Minister J Gumbs
How Ya Livin Now Deliverance Outreach Ministry
eldergumbs@howyalivinnow.org
Blue seam, red
seam -- one force
-->