MONTEGO BAY, St James – Chairman of the Police Federation Corporal Raymond Wilson has asked Security Minister Peter Phillips to address the chronic shortage of bulletproof vests and protective helmets at the St James Police Division.

“.We expect that this matter will be treated with the urgency that at least we can save one more life of our members,” Corporal Wilson told journalists in Montego Bay last week, after a meeting with members at the Freeport Police Station.

“.There is a serious shortage of bulletproof vests and helmets, especially for those policemen working in the volatile areas. In fact, of over 480 police officers in Montego Bay, the records are showing that to date only 280 of them have been issued with bullet proof vests and helmets,” said Wilson.

In addition, he said the 280 bulletproof vests issued between 2000 and 2001 were outdated as the normal period of effectiveness for a bullet proof vest was, but could be less in countries with warm weather like Jamaica.