Finzi-Smith: Maitland incident a ‘brain haemorrhage’ for JCF

Well-known security expert Robert Finzi-Smith believes that the arrest and subsequent murder charge of Constable Noel Maitland is far worse than a black eye for the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Maitland, who is accused of killing his girlfriend, 24-year-old Donna-Lee Donaldson, was arrested on July 27. However, he is yet to have his day in court.

"This has given the force brain haemorrhage and not just a black eye. First and foremost, a serving police officer is involved in the music industry producing and promoting artistes, and have you noticed that every time someone gets shot and they say he was a violent producer, you usually hear that he was an up-and-coming artiste? You will find that a lot of gang-related stuff starts in the music industry. He [Maitland] seems to have placed himself in an incriminating fashion," he told THE STAR.

Donaldson, who was last seen in the company of Maitland, was reported missing by her mother Sophia Lugg on July 13. Relatives last saw her on July 11 when Maitland picked her up from her home. Smith opined that the JCF has been seen in a bad light for some time.

In addition to Maitland, the Independent Commission of Investigations has confirmed that two police officers have been charged with murder, following the shooting death of Kingston resident Phillip Wallace in July. Charged are Corporal Miguel Ebanks and Constable Purcell Carter. He also noted that cops have been arrested for their suspected link to gangs.

"Who is going to muster the case against the police? Squaddies are sometimes tight-lipped as a lodge and it is not common to just Jamaica. A cop does not snitch on a cop," he said. "So who is going to bodyguard the bodyguards? The JCF can be redeemed though."

He suggested that the police force adopt a policy from the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), in which some persons join as officers.

"If they had the same type of situation in the JCF that they do have in the JDF where you enter and perform as an officer, no squaddie can have any secret for you. There are no bad squaddies but bad officers. So the question is what will the Police High Command do to rectify what is going on?" Finzi-Smith said.

- S.M.L.