KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – The Ministry of National Security has handed over seven pre-owned motor vehicles and 26 motorbikes to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to expand the force’s fleet.

The handover ceremony was held yesterday at the JCF’s Transport and Repair Division in Kingston.

Valued at $16 million, the vehicles are part of a programme by the ministry to outfit the JCF with 200 pre-owned units to enhance the mobility of the police force.

Three of the motorcars will be deployed to police stations at Point Hill, Clarendon; Watt Town, St Ann and Retreat in St Mary. The remaining four vehicles are yet to be assigned.

Security Minister Robert Montague said that the vehicles are the second batch of pre-owned motorcars to be handed over to the JCF. This is in addition to the 10 vehicles handed over to the force in November.

Of the 26 motorbikes, 11 were purchased by the ministry while the others were provided through a Memorandum of Understanding between the ministry and the Tourism Product Development Company.

The motorbikes will be deployed to police stations in Kingston and across the country.

Montague said acquisition of the vehicles is timely, as they will assist in maintaining a strong presence of JCF personnel on the nation’s roads during the Christmas season.

“You have more persons on the roads and you have more Jamaicans coming home.  In addition to that, you have more commercial activities. We need to give the merchants and shoppers a feeling of security. We want to create a safe space,” Montague said.

The minister added that seven additional units will be arriving sometime next week.