Around the Commonwealth

 Jamaica

Police Violence fuels AIDS epidemic

Widespread violence and discrimination against gay men and women living with HIV/AIDS in Jamaica is undermining government measures to combat the country's fast-growing epidemic, say human rights activists. Human Rights Watch (HRW), in its report of January 2005, cites the Jamaican Police Service as part of the problem for its extensive prosecution of people suspected of homosexual conduct, sex workers and people living with the virus.

Until the Jamaican police addresses their tendency to curb violent homophobic practice, there will be small hope controlling the AIDS epidemic rife in the country, says the HRW's report.

"If the Jamaican government is serious about coping with the epidemic, it should stop promoting police brutality against gay men and lesbians and start ensuring their protection from abuse," says Rebecca Schleifer, researcher with Human Rights Watch's HIV/AIDS programme.

 Uganda

Police to arrest public smokers

The Ugandan Police will arrest people caught smoking in public places for causing pollution and violating people's standards of living. The law will be in effect from February 2005. The regulation was invoked by the Minister of Water Lands and Environment, Col. Kahinda Otafiire. It states, "No person shall smoke a tobacco product or hold a lighted tobacco product in an enclosed, indoor area of a public place."

Uganda joins several Commonwealth countries like New Zealand, Canada and Malta, who have enforced smoke-free workplace legislation for all workers. The new law eliminates smoking in offices, cafes, restaurants and bars.

 Antigua

Police sit in parliament protest

Police officers have resorted to strike action to encourage the government to heed their demands for better pay and work conditions. They made their point with a boycott in the ceremonial state opening of parliament in February. The Commissioner of Police called the action "irresponsible, reckless and disrespectful" to the country's head and state, saying that disciplinary action will be taken.

The police want an improvement on the average salary of slightly more than 470 pounds a month. "Past efforts to improve pay and conditions have failed," said Vernon Dowdie, spokesman for the Police Welfare Association, in a statement to BBC Caribbean Radio. He also stated that the media had unnecessarily sensationalised the issue.

 Malta

Man draws long jail term for bombing attempt

Emanuel Camilleri, 35, from Imqabba province, was jailed for the maximum of 35 years for placing a bomb near the home of Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Cassar and for trafficking in cocaine and heroin.

In a trial lasting seven hours, jurors found Camilleri guilty of attempting to murder the policeman and his family, and on three counts of drug trafficking..

 Sri Lanka

Government urged to conduct investigations on police officers accused of torture

Sri Lanka's police chief has been ordered by the government to conduct psychological tests on officers accused of torture and where warranted dismiss them from the police force.

Several human rights activists, including the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), have expressed deep concern about the repeated torture of D.G. Premathilaka by police in Katugastota district. Premathilaka filed a complaint about his treatment.

"Retaliation against those who make complaints about the police are increasing, and there is little in the way of witness protection by either the attorney-general's department or the police department," said a joint statement by AHRC and Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission.

 South Africa

Handbook assessing police performance released

A new handbook for assessing police performance in countries undergoing democratic transition was released on 25 January 2005.

The police that we want: a handbook for oversight of the police in South Africa, is authored by David Bruce and Rachel Neid and is published by the Johannesburg-based Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in association with the Open Society Foundation for South Africa; and the Open Society Justice Initiative.

It offers an outline of democratic policing - that is, the behaviour and techniques appropriate to police in a democratic setting. Written primarily for South Africa, the handbook follows acceptable international practices in policing and police oversight and can be adapted for use in other countries.

United Kingdom

Holmes but no Watson

The U.K.Home Office has created a highly advanced IT system to link and co-ordinate information from police forces throughout the UK. It is called HOLMES - Home Office Large Major Enquiry System. Ten permanent incident rooms are equipped with the HOLMES system throughout Britain, co-ordinating with the main 'brain' at Police Headquarters.

Each inquiry has its own database, with the potential to link to others for analysis and to seek common factors in an the investigation.

Ghana

Police undergo communication training to sharpen crime fighting skills.

The Ghanaian police, in collaboration with the French Government, will be equipped and trained to beef up communication technology to enhance their crime fighting ability. To advance this, Motorola Company Limited has been contracted to mount regional long- and short-wave radio links to facilitate instant data or voice exchanges.

Police Captain Michel Pothier, the French project coordinator in Ghana, said that the government of France has made seven hundred thousand pounds available for the project.