Crime chief Deputy Commis-sioner Mark Shields will leave the Jamaica Constabulary Force next year.

A release from the Ministry of National Security said Shields was offered another contract, but negotiations broke down. "DCP Shields was offered a one-year extension but an agreement was not reached regarding the terms and he has declined the offer.

Appropriate steps will be taken to acknowledge DCP Shields' contribution to the JCF and to thank him for his service," the release said.

Shields contract expires on February 28, 2009. He came to Jamaica in 2005 as part of the International Police Officers' Programme, a collaboration bet-ween the Government of Jamaica, the British Government (Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development) and the Jamaican private sector.

Experience and expertise

The programme was initiated with a "view to having international police officers apply and share their knowledge, experience and expertise; transfer skills to their local counterparts and assist with capacity building in the JCF".

The programme is currently being reviewed and discussions are under way to determine how it can continue to benefit the management of the JCF.

The ministry said Assistant Commissioner Les Green, whose contract expires on January 15, 2009, has been offered a two-year extension and negotiations are nearing completion.

Meanwhile decisions about the future of the other three British officers, Assistant Commissioners Paul Robinson, John McLean and Justin Felice, will be made closer to the expiration of their contracts. Those contracts expires between April 2009 and May 2010.