THE sixth annual LASCO/Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Police Officer of the Year awards will be held today at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

The winning officer, or ‘Top Cop’, will receive $100,000, a trophy and other prizes. The runner-up will receive $50,000 and a trophy. There will also be a ‘rookie of the year’ award and the winner will receive a $50,000 educational grant.

Among the nominees this year is two-time Top Cop recipient Constable Rohan James.

The annual awards was first held in 2000 to recognise dedicated officers and to promote community support for exemplary work done by members of the JCF.

More than 1,000 nominations were received from the public and from members of JCF and its auxiliaries. Finalists were then chosen by a National Level Selection Committee made up of members of the caucus of Kingston, hierarchical members of JCF and representatives from LASCO.

All nominees must have served over three years and hold a rank no lower than constable and no higher than inspector.

Efficient oral and written communication skills, adequate technical skills for their particular post, professional conduct and deportment, congeniality and a healthy working relationship with co-workers and citizenry are some of the criteria for selection. Most of the nominees are involved in community activities, local clubs and societies.

The nominees are:

. Constable Ransford Smith, St Thomas Division

. Sergeant Janet Rose-Marie Hylton, Office of the Commissioner

. Constable Rohan James, Kingston Western Division (LASCO Police Officer of the Year 2001 and 2002).

. Sergeant Heather McLean, Mobile Reserve Division

. Detective Sergeant Jervis Moore, St Mary Division

. Detective Inspector Michael Grant, Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB)

. Detective Sergeant Desmond Carter, also of the CIB

. Sergeant Ralph Medley, Coral Gardens Police Station

. Corporal Kadene McKenzie, Operations Division and Special Anti-Crime Task Force

. Detective Sergeant J.E. Caine, St Elizabeth Division

. Inspector Errol Thompson, Training Branch

Last year’s winner was Sergeant Pollyanna Brown-Mullings from the St Mary Division.