Jamaica's top cop resigns

Jamaica's top cop resigns

Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, who still had another year in his contract, submitted his resignation with immediate effect.

(File photo)

KINGSTON, Jamaica, November 2, 2009 - Jamaica's top cop has stepped down amid concerns about the police's inability to deal with the country's high murder rate.

Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, who still had another year in his contract, submitted his resignation with immediate effect.

The Jamaica Observer newspaper quoted minister with responsibility for information, Daryl Vaz, as confirming the resignation and saying that he expected the Police Service Commission to make the necessary appointment in the shortest possible time.

Vaz noted that there were concerns that the police force was not doing enough to deal with the crime situation in the country.

There have been over 1,000 murders reported so far for the year.

"It was therefore a concern about the administration of crime and what the results were showing," he said.

Lewin, whose three-year contract would have come to an end in October 2010, took up the top position in the Jamaica Constabulary Force in 2007.

Before doing so, he served 36 years in the Jamaica Defence Force