Police And Citizen Relations Need To Improve – PM

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness says that interactions between the public and members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) need to improve.

“We are transforming the JCF to be the people’s force, the force for good. It’s a difficult prospect in an indisciplined society that seeks to challenge the police at every turn,” he said.

“We have all seen the videos of the police in operation, gunshots are firing, and people are running to where the police operations are, imperiling themselves and endangering the police as well. We have seen the operations of the police in difficult areas in heavily trafficked areas; the way in which the public interacts with the police in Jamaica has to change,” the Prime Minister underscored.

He was addressing the official ground-breaking ceremony for the new Little London Police Station in Westmoreland, on April 7.

Mr. Holness also emphasised that members of the JCF are held accountable when issues concerning them arise.

“We have put in place a process that any death as a result of the police must be investigated, and the Government has not in any way intervened or watered down the powers of INDECOM [the Independent Commission of Investigations],” he pointed out.

“So, there is a process of accountability and I urge citizens to use that process. Don’t… put yourselves between the police and their jobs, because that is not going to help us in the long term in fighting crime. The criminals are not your friends,” Mr. Holness cautioned.

Construction of the Little London police station, which is set to commence this financial year, will be under the Ministry of National Security’s Project Rebuild, Overhaul, and Construct (ROC) initiative, in collaboration with the National Housing Trust (NHT), which is providing $175 million for the project. Work is slated for completion in two years.

The ROC is aimed at making police stations islandwide modern and citizen-friendly workspaces.