Gov’t Looking To Build-Out Police Training Facility At Tranquility Bay
By: , July 6, 2020
Photo: Okoye Henry
Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (right) and Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, enter one the new dormitories at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) training facility at Tranquillity Bay in St. Elizabeth, during a tour on Friday (July 3). Tranquillity Bay, recently refurbished at a cost of approximately $139 million, is currently being used as a quarantine location for new police recruits.
Photo: Okoye Henry
Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr. Horace Chang (centre) and Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson (left), listen to a point from Member of Parliament for South West St. Elizabeth, Hon. Floyd Green, during a tour of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) training facility at Tranquillity Bay in St. Elizabeth on Friday (July 3). The facility was recently refurbished at a cost of approximately $139 million, and is currently being used as a quarantine location for new police recruits.The Full Story
Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, says the Government is looking to fully acquire the Tranquility Bay property in St. Elizabeth and transform it into an operational training campus for the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
“We are currently leasing (but) we are looking to acquire it so that we can put in the full operation down here,” Dr. Chang said.
“And, as we acquire it and move forward, we are going to build this into one of the finest colleges in this part of the island,” he added.
He was speaking on Friday (July 3) during a tour of the facility that was recently refurbished at a cost of approximately $139 million for the training of new JCF recruits.
The project included construction of classrooms, dormitories and bathrooms and procurement of furniture and equipment.
With the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Tranquility Bay is currently being used as a quarantine location for new police recruits.
They will remain at the facility for two weeks, where they will be screened, tested and vetted before being transferred to the National Police College of Jamaica (NPCJ) in Twickenham Park, St. Catherine.
The Minister said that Tranquility Bay will be able to accommodate up to 225 recruits per batch and will have the necessary equipment and resources to ensure quality police training “thus producing fine men and women of the JCF”.
“The Government is going to give full support to ensure we get the JCF to where we want it to be,” he added.
Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, noted that having a police training facility at Tranquility Bay will boost the capacity of the JCF, so that “it can become the police force that the country expects of us. So, I think this a great initiative.”
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for South West St. Elizabeth where Tranquility Bay is located, Hon. Floyd Green, said that the JCF training facility is “a big plus” for the surrounding communities and wider parish.
He said it will provide added protection for citizens.
“So we are very happy to have the police campus here. Also, we think it will help citizens to aspire to join the JCF; that is what we want to see. We believe that this will help… recruit better members and it will all go well for the force and community,” noted Mr. Green, who is also State Minister for Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries.