JCF STRENGTHENS USE OF PROCEEDS OF CRIME ACT WITH WORKSHOP IN AREA 1
As the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) continues to build the investigative capacity of its detectives, the Crime and Security Portfolio hosted a three-day workshop in partnership with the Financial Investigation Division on the Proceeds of Crime Act from September 15 to 17, 2025 in Trelawny.
The initiative forms part of a series of workshops being rolled out which started with Area One, comprising of Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover and Trelawny, aimed at equipping investigators with the tools to effectively apply POCA in more criminal investigations. The training is in response to critical findings from the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) and Jamaica’s National Risk Assessment (NRA).
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Crime and Security Portfolio, Mr. Richard Stewart, met with FID leadership to discuss the findings that recognized overlooked opportunities to recover the proceeds of crime.
The broader and more consistent use of POCA, he stressed, is essential to “removing the profit from crime” and strengthening the criminal justice system.
The cohort of 27 participants, comprising Divisional Detective Inspectors, Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB) investigators, and members of the Proactive Investigation Unit, engaged in practical and scenario-based exercises, including the benefits of civil recovery, asset forfeiture, and cash seizure investigations.
Participants expressed strong appreciation for the sessions delivered by FID presenters and gave assurance that key POCA provisions will be more robustly applied going forward. Superintendent Jermaine Anglin, Area One Crime Officer, urged investigators to put their new knowledge into practice.
“There is much more that we can do in proffering additional charges using POCA. It is our duty to ensure that we make full use of these powers to disrupt criminal enterprises and strengthen the fight against organized crime,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Glenford Miller, Officer in Charge of Area One, in delivering the closing remarks, implored the participants to utilize the training to its fullest and thanked them for their high level of interaction and participation in the workshop.
