Head of the Corporate Communications Unit in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, JCF, says the organization has dispatched additional personnel to the streets islandwide, to safeguard Jamaicans and ease traffic congestion during the Christmas holiday period.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police, SSP Stephanie Lindsay, administrative duties for police officers have been scaled back to allow more personnel to be on patrol.

The CCU head also indicated that advanced police trainees are included in the deployment, pointing out that they are out to provide enhanced physical presence.

SSP Lindsay informed that dispatching additional security personnel provides some level of assurance to citizens regarding public safety.

Meanwhile SSP Lindsay urges motorists to carpool where possible, as part of efforts to reduce congestion on the streets.

She says because of additional traffic, persons tend to park either on the streets creating additional problems, or in areas that’s not properly secured so the police end up with another challenge, where they have vehicles being broken into because there is not adequate security in the areas they are parked.

SSP Lindsay advised that members of the Specialised Operations Team have been deployed to respond to armed robberies.

The senior officer pointed out that robbers tend to target business establishments that are heavy users of cash. These include supermarkets, wholesales and gambling houses.

She notes that for the past two years, because of Covid-19,there was not the usual buzz that’s associated with Christmas. But this year, they started the preparations very early, by putting in additional resources and persons in the public spaces. (Source Nation News)