Several rank and File members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are angry with their boss Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin for his statement that criminals are within the force.

Rear Admiral Lewin, speaking to sector leaders at the Jamaica Employers' Federation CEO Breakfast at the Hilton Kingston hotel, New Kingston, last Tuesday, said corruption was widespread throughout the JCF and vowed to curtail the problem.

"The fact is, there are criminals within the force," he told the gathering.

But several policemen men and women with whom THE STAR spoke, were quite peeved that the commissioner had publicly made this statement and believe he could bring the force into disrepute.

"Even if that is the case, he didn't have to go and say it to the world," one cop said. "He obviously has not thought about the implications for police officers, whether clean or corrupt, in relation to such a statement."

Contacted yesterday, Corporal Raymond Wilson, chairman of the Police Federation, said they have received several calls from members since the commissioner's comments.

"The largest percentage of our policemen and women are hard- working, decent and honest officers, who have pledged their lives in service to Jamaica. However, we are also acknowledging that there are still some members who continue to act in contravention of the rules and guidelines of the JCF, and continue to break the law," the federation chairman said. "It is our belief that it is only when they (policemen and women) are convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction they can be classified as criminals," he said.

He said the federation had a meeting with the commissioner last Wednesday, and his statement was one of the matters discussed. The federation has since called an islandwide delegates' meeting for Thursday. The com-missioner will address the delegates at this meeting.

Another policeman said whenever someone, especially a member of the constabulary, makes such a statement, it places a bad light on all members of the force.

"So you find that whatever little trust or confidence was there is quickly eroded. If someone can make such a statement about their own, what they expect others outside to do?"

A woman police said the same day the report came out about the commissioner's statements, she was verbally abused by a motorist who accused her of being one of the criminals to whom the commissioner referred.

"All I did was tell her to drive another route cause the road she wanted to go on was blocked off," the officer said.

"He has to be careful he does not come across as anti-police," said a senior cop. "While he was not appointed from the constabulary, we accept him and we can already see that the stage is set for a much-needed reform of the force. Corruption is a society problem, not only a JCF problem."