WESTERN BUREAU — Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area One, Linton Latty, on Thursday donated a freezer valued at over $26,000 to the Rose Heights Basic School in Montego Bay in a move aimed at forging a better relationship between that inner city community and the police.

“This gift, we hope, is a step in the right direction and we want to foster a very good and meaningful relationship with the police and citizens, not only in Rose Heights and not only in St James but in Jamaica,” ACP Latty said.

The Rose Heights Basic School has a student population of 82 and a teaching staff of four.

Last year, school principal Ouida Hutchinson, wrote to ACP Latty requesting assistance in purchasing a freezer, which she said, was badly needed at the school.

“After reading the letter it seems to me that she (Hutchinson) was desperate. Having reviewed that letter, I spoke to the managing committee of Water Hole (a social group consisting of businessmen) and shortly afterwards money was raised to the tune of $26,000 to purchase a brand new freezer for the school,” ACP Latty said at the handing-over ceremony.

Hutchinson, in expressing gratitude for the gift, said the freezer will be used to store perishable goods as the institution moves to provide students with hot lunches.

Superintendent Newton Amos, the commanding officer in charge of the St James police division, noted that since 1998 the police have been seeking to re-establish a good relationship with the citizens.

“Today is just the beginning here in Rose Heights. We have embarked on projects elsewhere and we will soon adopt a basic school in another section of the parish,” Amos said.