In a significant boost to the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) infrastructure, ground is to be broken for the construction of the new St Catherine North Police Divisional Headquarters and the Specialised Operations West facility in St James next month.
Along with the Westmoreland Divisional Headquarters, for which ground was broken in March of this year, the three major construction projects will represent a combined investment by the Government of over $15 billion in the JCF.
The overall announcements were made by Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, at the passing-out ceremony for 294 new police recruits at the National Police College of Jamaica last week.
According to the minister, five police stations are currently far advanced in the reconstruction process, and another five stations are undergoing the public investment appraisal process for construction to begin shortly.
“These efforts are part of our mission to provide our police officers with facilities that reflect modern security requirements and design features,” said Chang.
“Almost all of our police facilities have undergone some level of repair or renovation work, to ensure they are functional for both police officers and the citizens who interact with them,” he added.
The investment, said Chang, is part of the Government’s efforts over the past six years to address legacy issues within the JCF, while implementing reforms, investing in training, fostering a culture of integrity and transparency, as well as embarking on the digital transformation of the constabulary.
To the new recruits, Chang said they are now part of a proud tradition of joining the ranks of the JCF, and they are doing so at a “rather exciting time”, as the force is almost at “full establishment strength and the transformation that is very visible for all to see”.
He elaborated that, “You are joining the police force at a time when our response time has improved, efficiency gains have been realised, our investigative capacity has been enhanced, and our efforts in gang interruption and interdiction have been increasingly effective.”
