Police Commissioner Carl Williams – file photo
Police Commissioner Carl Williams and Assistant Commissioner Elan Powell, speaking on TVJ’s All Angles on Wednesday
Police Commissioner Carl Williams has expressed regret at a statement made at a media briefing earlier this week where he rated his performance as head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
Commissioner Williams has stated that giving himself a performance rating of ten out of ten was not meant to be taken seriously. Speaking last night on TVJ’s All Angles he acknowledged the uproar it has caused.
“I am sorry that I said it,” he said, adding that “it clearly was not intended to be taken seriously.”
The issue has triggered heated responses and tremendous public debate since it arose on Monday. It’s argued by many that the Commissioner should not be rating his performance in that manner with the country seeing an increase in murders.
Acknowdging the validity of that criticism, the Commissioner said “I wouldn’t rate myself… I would leave it to you to rate me.”
The Police Commissioner sought to explain the context of the comments and his reasons for answering in that manner. He said it was a fiippant response given to a flippant question and was not meant to be taken seriously.
Clear-up rate
Meanwhile, as concern grows about the country’s rising murder tally, Commissioner Williams has promised that by year end the Force should have a “clear-up” rate of more than 50% for all crimes. Elaborating, he said the rate should be at “51 per cent, at the minimum!”
He expects that strategies and initiatives being implemented by the High Command will cause this to be achieved.
Explaining the term “clear-up,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Elan Powell, who also appeared on the television programme, said “it means that somebody has been arrested and charged for the crime.”
The Commissioner said some of the strategies being pursued have not yet been disclosed.
The public has expressed significant concern about current crime statistics, with the chief worry being the number of murders. There have been more than 600 cases of homicide since the start of the year.