Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)

History of law enforcement

 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. 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.

This force continued to serve until 1865, 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.

About the JCF

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is a department under the Ministry of National Secuirty. It is the premier law enforcement arm of the Government of Jamaica and has been in existence for 152 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 authourity to act under the Constabulary Force Act.

Police Federation Established

In 1944, the Police Federation came into operation. 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. The Police Federation was created by the provision of Sub-Section 1 of Section 67 of the Constabulary Force Act.

Women in the JCF

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 Island Special Constabulary Force is Established

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. In 2014, however as part of its modernization drive, the Island Special Constabulary Force and the JCF were merged together after two failed attempts.

Establishment of the National Police College

The National Police College of Jamaica , formerly known as the Jamaica Police Academy is the Constabulary's training school located at Twickenham Park in Spanish Town. Twickenham Park was home to the Jamaica School of Agriculture from 1942 to 1981. The school was defunct in 1981. Simultaneously, there was a push to urbanize the Twickenham Park Area. This urban development gave some land to the JCF. Under the guidance of Commissioner Bill Bowes, police school from Port Royal was relocated to Twickenham Park in 1982. After its relocation, in 1982, the institution was renamed the Jamaica Police Academy (JPA). The lecture theatre of the JPA was unveiled in July 1987 by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher. The National Police College of Jamaica was established in June 2014.

Ranks of the Police Force

There are 11 ranks in the JCF. They are (in order of highest to lowest):

• Commissioner (one laurel wreath and one crown on each shoulder strap)
• Deputy Commissioner (one laurel wreath and two stars on each shoulder strap)
• Assistant Commissioner (one laurel wreath on each shoulder strap)
• Senior Superintendent (one crown and one star on each shoulder strap)
• Superintendent (one crown on each shoulder strap)
• Deputy Superintendent (three stars on each shoulder strap)
• Assistant Superintendent (two stars on each shoulder strap)
• Inspector (two metal bars on each shoulder strap)
• Sergeant (three chevrons on right sleeve)
• Corporal (two chevrons on right sleeve)
• Constable (No emblem)
• District Constables (No emblem)

Areas/Police Divisions 

• Area One: Trelawney, St. James, Westmoreland, Hanover
• Area Two: St. Ann, St. Mary, Portland
• Area Three: Clarendon, Manchester, St. Elizabeth
• Area Four: St. Andrew Central, St. Andrew South, Kingston Western, Kingston Central, Kingston Eastern
• Area Five: St. Andrew North, St. Catherine South, St. Catherine North, St. Thomas

For more on the Jamaica Constabulary Force's history, visit: https://jcf.gov.jm/about-us/history/

Administrative Office:

Office of the Commissioner of Police

101-105 Old Hope Road

Kingston 6,

Jamaica, West Indies.