The Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) will host the inaugural Hon. Oliver F. Clarke Memorial Lecture on March 26, 2025, at the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.
The lecture will be held under the theme, “Partnerships for Progress: Improving Policing Through Effective Oversight for a Safer Jamaica.”
Headlining the lecture are: Mrs. Marsha K. Thompson, Esq., Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice Department at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois USA, and, Chief Shon Barnes of Madison City in Wisconsin, USA.
Both professionals have extensive experience in law enforcement and civilian oversight. They will share their insights on the following:
- How they have worked to change the culture within law enforcement agencies.
- Their successes and lessons learned in these endeavors.
- The crucial intersections of leadership and culture.
- The use of data to identify areas for improvement.
- Recommendations for effecting real change within law enforcement.
This lecture was conceptualized to honor the late Mr. Clarke, a founding member of the PCOA in 2006 and a strong advocate for police oversight in Jamaica.
Mr. Clarke played a pivotal role in facilitating a groundbreaking seminar on civilian oversight of law enforcement in Jamaica in November 2010, held under the theme, “Broadening the Partnership of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement – International and Local Perspectives”. Several international and local experts were assembled such as Mike Franklin, Commissioner at the Independent Police Complaints Commission, UK; Jeffrey Schlander, President and Chief Executive Officer of Keypoint Government Solutions, USA; and, Toronto Police Chief, William Blair, who shared their knowledge and perspectives relating to trends in police oversight and policing.
Mr. Clarke also assisted in exposing then PCOA members and staff to overseas policing models and oversight bodies throughout his five-year tenure as a member, facilitating meetings with Sir Paul Stephenson, then Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police, and a delegation from West Midlands, UK, which included Chair of the West Midlands Police Authority
