Additional Handheld Smart Devices Being Acquired for the JCF

The number of handheld smart devices used by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to issue electronic traffic tickets will soon be increased.

The Ministry of National Security said it is in the process of acquiring more devices for officers across the country.

Senior Director with responsibility for Major Technology Transformation in the Ministry, Emil Holgate, told JIS News that plans are far advanced to add more devices to the 750 acquired for the JCF in 2022.

“We’re now looking to buy a couple thousand more to expand the use of the devices islandwide,” he informed.

Mr. Holgate indicated that currently, all police officers are empowered by the law to issue traffic tickets utilising handheld smart devices.

The Director pointed out that this forms part of the digitised Traffic Ticket Management System (TTMS), adding that the Ministry is hoping to streamline the function.

“We’re looking at how we’re going to deploy these devices across the entire JCF to ensure that that same power to issue tickets is not stymied in any way [so] that officers, once they’re on duty, can issue the tickets accordingly,” he stated.

Mr. Holgate advised that the devices are now being used in cities and major towns, and should be in all police divisions soon.

“We have devices in Kingston, Montego Bay and St. Catherine. The plans are to ensure that all the divisions have devices at their disposal. So from this purchase of approximately [1,000] devices that we hope to be concluded within a month or two, we should see more devices islandwide. There is no area in the island that should not have devices at their disposal,” he further indicated.