Police Heighten Operational Readiness in St. James

The St. James Police Division is heightening its operational readiness as Tropical Storm Melissa approaches.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is set to play a critical role in maintaining law and order, supporting rescue operations, and ensuring public safety throughout the parish.

Commanding Officer for the Division, Senior Superintendent (SSP) Eron Samuels, said that the JCF’s hurricane preparedness strategy involves close coordination with key response partners, including the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), National Works Agency (NWA), and the St. James Municipal Corporation.

“We will play our crucial role in protecting, serving, and ensuring the safety of the populace. Our teams will be paying special attention to flood-prone areas to prevent persons from entering these dangerous zones and to ensure that there is strong police presence in the town centre to deter looting and other criminal activities,” SSP Samuels told JIS News in an interview.

He noted that the police will also provide support for search and rescue operations and medical emergencies, including escorting ambulances or transporting injured persons when necessary.

Mr. Samuels said that patrols will be conducted around designated shelters to safeguard displaced residents.

“We will be ensuring that our facilities are up to date with generators and other equipment so we can respond to any situation that presents itself,” he said, adding that personnel will be active throughout the storm and in its aftermath to ensure that the police presence is strongly felt.

He emphasised that lessons learned from previous weather systems, such as Hurricane Beryl, have strengthened the Division’s preparedness and inter-agency collaboration.

“We learned that our presence on the road is crucial, and that partnership is key. We’ve already started reaching out to the authorities to ensure proper coordination, especially in areas like the airport, where a lack of information during Beryl caused traffic congestion,” SSP Samuels shared.

He pointed out that the parish’s emergency stakeholders met on Thursday (October 23) at the Municipal Corporation to review experiences from previous events and refine their response plans.

As the storm nears, SSP Samuels is urging residents, especially those living in low-lying or flood-prone areas, to take all necessary precautions.

“We’re asking persons to seek higher ground or move to the nearest shelter. It’s going to be difficult to rescue persons in flooded areas as our units are not amphibious, so it’s important that residents act early. Try to preserve life first and foremost [before] you secure your property,” he encouraged.