JCF Monument to Be Built at National Police College

The proposed Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) monument is to be erected on the campus of the National Police College of Jamaica at Twickenham Park, in St. Catherine.

The monument is to be built by the Government to honour members of the JCF who die in the line of duty.

National Security Minister, Hon. Robert Montague, had given this commitment during the Jamaica Police Federation (JPF) conference, and also at the inaugural JCF awards ceremony hosted by the Ministry late last year.

Mr. Montague told JIS News that the estimated cost to build the monument ranges from $11 million to $13 million, adding that the money has already been earmarked.

He said the College was proposed by the JCF’s administration, in light of plans to establish a police museum at the Campus.

Mr. Montague said the Ministry, in tandem with the administrations of the JCF and JPF, is reviewing two designs that were received to determine the one that will best reflect the monument’s purpose.

The Minister indicated that one of the designs was submitted by a member of the JCF and the other by a representative of a civic group.

“Both designs, in my view, are very good, and what we want to do is merge them. The monument will be (appropriately) designed to reflect the solemnness and significance of what it is recognising,” he said.

Mr. Montague said a site visit is being scheduled, and “once that is done, it’s just a matter of doing the contract”.

He also told JIS News that the Ministry will, later this month, receive a hearse that was ordered for the JCF to ensure that “our police officers will, on their final journey, be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve, because they have served this country (well)”.

More than 900 JCF members have died in the line of duty since the organisation was established in 1867.