Training for Agricultural Wardens Begins January 2025

Training for the Agricultural Wardens Programme is expected to begin in January 2025.

This was disclosed by Head of the Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Unit, Superintendent Oral Pascoe, during a press conference held at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hope Gardens, in Kingston, on December 18.

Superintendent Pascoe said so far, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has received 215 applications.

“One hundred and sixty-five persons were successful in passing the internal exam of the JCF and this exam is similar to the exam that the regular police does, so there is no difference. The training programme is supposed to be about 12 weeks,” Mr. Pascoe said.

“We have oversubscribed the first 100 to start January…and next fiscal year we are supposed to start in April and then we go to July. We are still doing recruitment in areas such as St. Mary, Portland and St. Thomas and we are still following up to cover the island. We expect 200 boots on the ground in addition to the police support,” he added.

Under the three-year Agricultural Wardens Programme, 300 wardens will be recruited and posted in praedial larceny hotspots.

It will cost approximately $1.8 billion, with some $390 million being expended in the first year.

The agricultural wardens, once recruited, will participate in an extensive training programme to include, among other areas, enforcement modules in the fundamentals of police duties and procedures, firearm training, defensive tactics and drills.

They will also receive training in community-based policing, evidence recording, court preparation, target hardening and agricultural modules, including livestock classification, agricultural practices and the Ministry’s traceability systems.

Wardens will also be exposed to legal modules covering legislation, case preparation and mock trial exercises as well as motorcycle and motor-vehicle driving certification.