MEMBERS of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are unhappy about options for their personal development provided by the organisation, a survey conducted by a University of the West Indies (UWI) academic has revealed.

The concern was a recurring feature of the survey, which gauged the perceptions of 869 police officers towards the constabulary's strategic reform and modernisation process.

There are just over 8,000 members of the JCF.

The survey was conducted last year by Dr Kadamawe Knife, lecturer in strategic management and planning at the UWI. Its findings were launched at a press conference at the Police Officers' Club on Hope Road in St Andrew, Friday.

"Things that relate to personal development within the force, those are the things that persons have concern about, as well as things that relate to fiscal management," said Dr Knife, presenting the findings of the survey which was paid for by the United States Agency for International Development.

"Fairness surrounding promotion, the disciplinary process, transfer, grievances, all of those things we find relating to persons' perception of how they will move forward if they see the JCF as their long-term profession. These are the things that persons have a problem with," continued Dr Knife, citing the allocation of resources as the other major concern raised by respondents.

"These we need to work on some more," he said, outlining that 34.8 per cent of responders deemed the Human Resource Practices and Employee Performance Management as good, 18 per cent said it was bad, while 47.2 per cent said it was nuetral. Dr Knife said the fact that so many persons were indifferent to it is, in itself, cause for concern.

The study was the second of a series reviewing the accomplishments of the constabulary strategic review programme launched by the Ministry of National Security in 2007.

Among the other variables looked at were organisational climate, leadership, management and supervision, communication, organisational culture, fiscal management, operating procedures and practices, strategic planning, and vehicle, equipment, technology, and facilities.

The areas of organisation climate/culture, communication and equipment were also areas of much concern, Dr Knife said.

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Unfair promotions, questionable spending irk cops, study shows