Thursday, October 09, 2008
Superintendent Steve McGregor
MONTEGO BAY, St James
The Montego Bay business community is angry at the police high command's decision to transfer commander of the St James Police Division, Superintendent Steve McGregor from that post to head the Motorised Patrol division, come Monday.
"I think the whole situation has been very badly handled I thought there would have been some amount of consultation with us, the community at large before such a decision was taken. So we are very unhappy about it," president of Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) , Lloyd B Smith told the OBSERVER WEST.
Westmoreland divisional commander Superintendent Maurice Robinson, will replace Superintendent McGregor, while Superintendent Dezeita Taylor, who was transferred to the Area One headquarters from Superintendent Robinson's post just over a year ago, will return as Westmoreland's divisional commander.
Superintendent McGregor will take over from Superintendent Que Morgan at the motorised patrol who will head for the Services division which is headed by Senior Superintendent George Quallo. McGregor, who was transferred from St Thomas to St James 18 months ago, was one of 36 senior cops reassigned by then police commissioner Lucius Thomas as part of his strategy to bring crime under control, especially in St James where a lottery scam has been blamed for several murders.
During that period McGregor has been credited with devising strategies that have resulted in significantly weakening the notorious Stone Crusher gang, said to be responsible for carrying out several contract killings arising from fall-outs between players involved in the lottery racket.
However, the number of homicides in the St James police division has continued to spiral out of control, reaching a record high of 188 last year. That figure surpassed the previous year's figure by 10. Meanwhile, up to yesterday, 152 killings were recorded in the parish.
But despite the escalation of homicides during Superintendent McGregor's tenure in the parish, Smith lamented his exodus.
"The chamber is of the view that he has been doing a reasonably good job against the background of what had been happening in this parish. Notwithstanding the increasing homicides, one has to understand that he alone cannot deal with that particular problem. That problem needs social intervention. It is unfortunate that he is being asked to leave at this time because we believe he was beginning to get a good grasp of the situation."
Smith pointed to the good relationship which McGregor enjoyed with the business community and the very meaningful relationship he had begun to develop with some of the volatile communities.
"We feel that when a cop is transferred in this manner it sends a wrong impression to the society at large because it comes across as the cop is being punished, is being disciplined for not being able to carry out his task effectively," Smith argued.
But director of communication in the Jamaica Constabulary Force Karl Angell explained that the Motorised Division plays an integral role in the battle against crime.
"The Motorised Division is a big division for fighting crime especially in Kingston and St Andrew. It is the team that does most of the road patrols," Angell told the OBSERVER WEST.
"Tranfers within the Jamaica Constabulary Force are a natural part of policing and all policemen and women know that at some time or another they will be transferred. It is part of the normal movement within the constabulary force," he added.
McGregor came to St James at a time when there was much talk that the parish was tainted with corrupt cops.
Yesterday he told the Observer West he has sought to successfully dispel that notion and has subsequently won the confidence of St James residents.
"On taking command of the St James police division I found that the morale of the men was at rock bottom. The confidence that people had in the police was also at an all-time low. As the commanding officer I had to set about repairing that. I am satisfied that I have succeeded, because the morale of the men is at the highest it has ever been in St James.
"The confidence that the people had in the police has tripled or even quadrupled under my command.
"What is also significant is that the last top 10 wanted men list that we put out because of the network confidence we have with the people we have succeeded in catching six of them, two were fatally shot and two taken into custody, so it speaks volumes to the sort of confidence that the people have in the police. And the fear of crime is not as high as it used to be.
Because people are leaving things up to the police more than they used to," he said.
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