The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is a department under the Ministry of National Security. It is the premier law enforcement arm of the Government of Jamaica and has been in existence for 157 years. The JCF is responsible for the maintenance of law and order and the enforcement of all of the country’s laws. The JCF has authority to act under the Constabulary Force Act.
Members
Supporting the public
Years of existence
In response to rising disorder in public spaces, the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch in August, 2018. The branch was given the mandate to restore order and the rule of law in all public spaces, and promote safety of persons traversing the nation’s streets.
After two failed attempts, the merger of the ISCF and the JCF was finalized.
The Modernization and Reformation of the JCF, which had seven pillars, commenced.
The Neighbourhood Watch was established. The programme unites citizens in a community to protect themselves and their property by reducing the risk of crime.
The Water Police was formally renamed the Marine Police. The unit’s history can be traced to 1798, when the Irish Constabulary Force was in charge of the island’s security. The unit obtained its first engine boat in 1944, and moved its headquarters to Newport East in 1974.
Basil Robinson became the first Jamaican Commissioner of Police. Previously, all Commissioners of Police were Englishmen.
The Strike Force was established with the sole purpose being to deal with riots and public disorders, which were common at the time. The Unit would later become the Mobile Reserve in 1970.
The Bands Division was established and the first band master, Englishman Superintendent C.T. Beare was appointed director of music.
The Canine Division was established when three Policemen left the island to be trained as dog handlers. They returned as experts with three German Sheperds, and the division was born.
The first Police Youth Club was established by Mr. Basil Ferguson and Corporal Everald Matthews in Sandy Bay, Hanover. The idea was birthed when Corporal Matthews resolved a dispute through mediation, a novel idea at the time. Other clubs were soon formed in Lucea, Kingsvale and Green Island.
After serving in a temporary capacity since 1904, an act was constituted and passed in parliament establishing the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) as a permanent body in 1950. The ISCF had its own mandate, which included maintaining order of public spaces, traffic management, enforcement of environmental laws, praedial larceny, policing market and public districts, illegal sand mining and others.
On January 1, 1949 three women were enlisted in the JCF. They were Iris Tulloch, Sylvia Myers and Florence Nelson. Tulloch remained the JCF the longest, attaining the rank of Superintendent in 1976.
The original Constabulary Force Act barred rank and file policemen from being a member of any trade union. However, gazetted officers were represented by a staff association. This disparity became a sore point following the 1938 labour unrest in Jamaica and the Colonial Officer dispatched a representative to the United Kingdom to study the British Police Federation model, for local adoption. In 1944, the Police Federation was created by the provision of Sub-Section 1 of Section 67 of the Constabulary Force Act.
The Police Central Training Depot was moved to Lower Elletson Road in Kingston after being based at the corner of Young Street and Nugent Street in Spanish Town, St. Catherine for nearly a century. The St. Catherine location was adopted after the last company of the West India Regiment had been transferred to British Honduras (now Belize) at the end of the Second World War.
the year of the Morant Bay Rebellion. This uprising demonstrated the vulnerability of peace and law on Jamaica and caused the establishment of an improved police force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force. The force began operation with 984 members, under the direction of an Inspector General appointed by the British Governor to the island, and continues to carry out police duties to the present day.
In 1832 the first attempt to establish a permanent police force began, and William Ramsay was appointed Inspector General of the police force in 1835.
The history of law enforcement in Jamaica began in 1716 when night watchmen were appointed to serve the cities of Port Royal, Kingston, and the parishes of Saint Catherine and Saint Andrew.
