Some Police Personnel In Protective Services Division To Be Repositioned

Cabinet has approved the Public Officials Protection System (POPS) Policy, which aims to provide an objective assessment-based framework for providing close-protection support to public officials.

Delivering a statement in the House of Representatives on October 6, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said the policy will allow for the repositioning of some experienced police officers to the front line of crime-fighting”, which is where they are most needed”.

He said those who remain within the Protective Services Division will receive improved training in close-protection work.

“Threats against public officials in Jamaica are low. We need as many police officers as possible on the front line of crime-fighting. The people in the communities who are being tormented by gang violence need these police officers to protect them. Public officials who need this kind of protective support will benefit from a trained close-protection officer (CPO); they do not necessarily require a trained law-enforcement officer,” Dr. Chang noted.

He pointed out that the Government is mindful of the ever-evolving criminal landscape, and the fact that the duties carried out by some officials are critical to ensuring continuity of the people’s business and the smooth operations of the country.

“We cannot continue to depend on a haphazard system of assigning police officers to carry out functions that would sometimes be better suited for an adjutant, in most cases,” he said.

Dr. Chang added that the POPS Policy will, therefore, guarantee a more strategic and efficient deployment of police officers to provide close-protection services.

He said these professional close-protection officers of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will be assigned by the Commissioner of Police and will undergo the necessary rotation to ensure satisfactory working hours in the short term, while safeguarding their prospects for promotion, training and professional development within the Force in the medium to long term.

He pointed out that during this transitional period of the implementation of the POPS Policy, the current assignment of JCF close-protection officers will continue as is, while the Commissioner of Police undertakes a comprehensive review and needs assessment.

“In the interim, ministries, departments, agencies and other public bodies that wish to substitute or transition to CPOs are welcomed to do so, and we encourage them to do so. The police will ensure that they are properly vetted and will provide the required appointment as special district constables,” he said.

Dr. Chang noted that the private security industry in Jamaica has a record of established capability in providing close-protection support.

“Our intention is for these private close-protection service providers to be suitably trained, qualified and regulated operators,” he said.

Dr. Chang informed that the JCF stands ready to deliver close protection training, if necessary, and to verify and endorse the training and certification curricula of private service providers.

“In those instances, the Ministry of National Security will, on the advice of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, support such private close-protection service providers being appointed as special district constables, thereby according some policing privileges to private close-protection personnel,” he said.

Dr. Chang explained that the POPS Policy creates the requisite policy framework to improve the efficiency with which police officers are deployed to provide close protection services.

The policy modernises the Government’s approach and clarifies the parameters for an objective, threat-based determination for the assignment of close-protection support to public officials.

An internal assessment carried out by the JCF in December 2020 indicated that the Protective Services Division ranked among the largest police divisions within the Force.

“At the time, 515 police officers were assigned to the Protective Services Division, of which 300 were assigned to provide close protection support for public officials. These are officials who, by the nature of their jobs, are deemed to require protective support,” Dr. Chang said.