Dr. Kevin Blake has been appointed as the next Police Commissioner of Jamaica
Dr. Kevin Blake, with his extensive experience in law enforcement and excellent leadership skills, has been selected for the esteemed role of Police Commissioner of Jamaica. With a commendably rigorous career in the police force, under his belt, he is all set to shoulder this new responsibility. Dr. Blake is known for his outstanding commitment to maintaining law and order, a quality that makes him uniquely suitable for this high office.
During a media briefing following the cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Minister of National Security Dr. Horace Chang announced that Dr. Kevin Blake is set to take over as the new Commissioner of Police on March 19. He will be stepping into the role following the end of Major General Anthony Anderson’s service period, which wraps up on March 18.
Who is Kevin Blake?
Kevin Kenyon Allan Blake holds a PhD with High Commendation in Sustainable Development, a Master of Science in Computer-Based Management Information Systems, and a Bachelor’s Degree with honours in Computer Science and Mathematics.
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They were all obtained at the University of the West Indies, Mona, where he was also awarded for research excellence in 2017.
Blake spent a year doing freelance work before he entered the Jamaica Constabulary Force, JCF, in 2002.
In the JCF, he quickly moved up the ranks.
He was assigned to the National Intelligence Bureau, NIB, in 2004, where he remained for a decade.
At NIB, he was promoted to Director of the Jamaica Intelligence Model, where he managed the development of the new intelligence model for the JCF.
This included the transition from the National Firearms and Drugs Intelligence Centre to the National Intelligence Bureau.
Blake also oversaw the design, implementation, and maintenance of database applications and information technology infrastructure for the NIB.
He was promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Police in 2009.
He then took on the role of Project Manager at the NIB, where he was responsible for the island-wide rollout of the Crime and Intelligence Management System.
In 2010, Blake was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Police.
He was then put in charge of the NIB when Owen Ellington was appointed Police Commissioner.
While in that post, he was instrumental in transforming the force into an intelligence-led organization.
In 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police, serving at various branches, including PSTEB, the Planning Research and Development Branch, and the Operations Branch.
He was also in charge of Areas Three and Four.
Blake went on to serve as the Director for the Intelligence Focus Group, or Operation Musketeer, at the Counter Narcotics and Major Crimes Task Force, more commonly referred to at the time as Operation Kingfish.
There, Blake developed a tool based on a mathematical theory and applied it in a major drugs-for-guns operation that was hugely successful in dismantling a criminal network.
This was the first ever practical application of such theory in a real law enforcement operation.
In 2017, he earned his PhD. Three years later, in 2020, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police, and placed in charge of the Force Development and Logistics Portfolio.
In this post, he played a significant role in modernising the JCF.
Dr. Blake was instrumental in the establishment of the Technology Branch and the Technological Governance Structure for the JCF.
He led the restructuring of the JCF’s logistics management capability and oversaw the renovation and building of over 170 police facilities across the island.
Dr. Blake attained certification in several specialized areas relevant to policing.
This includes strategic command, strategy and international security, major event security management, and Caribbean defence and security.
He served as co-chair of the Regional Information Technology Sub-Committee and the CARICOM Technical Working Group on Law Enforcement Information Sharing.
He was also a co-investigator for two joint international research projects and a team member on another called the Hit Rate Indicator Project.
Notably, this appointment comes at a crucial time as Jamaica grapples with various challenges in the law enforcement sector. The nation is in the throes of reform, making Dr. Blake’s role pivotal. His innovative approach to policing, combined with an unflinching resolve to improve police-community relationships, further solidify his credentials as the next Police Commissioner.
Dr. Blake’s recent appointment has engendered a sense of optimism within the ranks of the law enforcement community. However, it is imperative that he mobilize his considerable expertise to confront the pervasive challenge of crime in Jamaica. There is a prevailing sentiment that his stewardship will steer the organization toward elevated levels of efficacy and expand the frontiers of civic duty.