Emphasis on Service During Police Week

Citizens will be at the heart of Police Week activities this year as the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) celebrates 156 years of service.

Police Week, to be observed from November 18 to 24, is being staged under the theme ‘Celebrating 156 years of Advancement in People, Quality and Technology’.

Member of the Community Safety and Security Branch and the Police Week Planning Committee, Deputy Superintendent Natalie Palmer, told JIS News that the theme was selected, as the JCF has gone through a lot of transition.

“We are looking at how we can improve the customer service; also looking at the technology and, overall, the quality of service that we are giving to our customers,” she explained.

The JCF will kick-start the activities with a church service on Saturday, November 18, at the Falmouth Seventh-day Adventist Church in Trelawny. starting at 10:45 a.m.

“We will have four different church services, so on Sunday in Area Two at the New Testament Church of God on Main Street, Oracabessa in St. Mary at 10:00 a.m. In Area Three it’s the Santa Cruz Baptist Church in St. Elizabeth, also at 10:00 a.m.,” DSP Palmer said.

The other service will be held at the Clifton New Testament Church of God, Mannings Hill Road in St. Andrew, starting at 10:00 a.m.

Monday will be an Open Day for the public with the focus being the JCF’s customers.

“We want to see our clients coming out to see what it is that the JCF has to offer and providing us with feedback. Traditionally, persons are accustomed to this happening at the station level, but we wanted it to have a panel component, which is also educational. So, we are moving them to different locations, which you will see in the media,” DSP Palmer added.

Tuesday is observed as Memorial Day where members of the JCF who have died during the year are remembered and a luncheon held for their family members at the Police Commissioner’s Office on Old Hope Road.

This function will be hosted by Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson.

“We will have our Police Commissioner’s Stakeholders Forum on Wednesday. This is where members will get to interact again with the Commissioner of Police, and you can say your piece. He will tell you about the transformation that we are pushing and the technology that we’re using, and this will be at the University of Technology in St. Andrew, and that starts at 9:00 a.m.,” the DSP informed.

On Thursday, November 23, the JCF will highlight members for their long service and good conduct, and on the final day of activities, on Friday, another Open Day will be held at the National Police College in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine.

“The long-service members will be recognised at a function at the Police Officers Club in St. Andrew. Now these are officers with at least 18 years of service recognised on an annual basis. We have officers who have done over 30 years in the organisation, and they will be recognised as well,” DSP Palmer told JIS News.

Persons are encouraged to follow the social media pages of the JCF to get the full schedule of activities.

DSP Palmer noted that the JCF is expecting the public to attend the open forums and open days to share their thoughts and be educated about the various levels of transformation taking place in the Force to serve the public.

“The objective for this week is to ensure that we’re addressing the concerns of communities and that they understand that we are working for you,” DSP Palmer said.