MONTEGO BAY, St James — The run-down Mount Salem police station on Saturday received a stove, bed and other creature comforts courtesy of Cigarette distributors, Carreras Limited.

The presentation, valued at approximately $220,000, included building material for the erection of living quarters for firefighters at the Freeport Fire Station.

“It is an annual thing for us to take on community projects. We chose the Mount Salem Police Station at this time because they need some renovation, and at Carreras we always love to combat crime, and this is one of our ways to give back to the community in which we serve and helping and assisting the officers who serve in this community,” Beverly Wood, Carreras depot sales representative for western region, told the media at the Mount Salem Police Station on Saturday.

Added Mitchell Khouri, Carreras trade marketing representative: “Basically, we are donating a stove, beds, paint, and things to enhance the look of the station…”

Sergeant in charge of the Mount Salem Police Station, Lancelot Tyrell, who explained that the cigarette company’s gesture will go towards the refurbishing of the guard room, was grateful.

“We thank Carreras Limited on behalf of the superintendent for looking beyond our faults and seeing our needs and assisting us. One would have known that Mount Salem has been featured in the media on negatives but today this is a positive,” he said.

Last year Kourtney Grayson, a civilian reportedly spent six months posing as a cop stationed at the Mount Salem Police Station before he was arrested and beaten by police in the parish, resulting in the removal of 18 policemen from frontline duties.

The station also came in for negative publicity following reports that a policeman, who walked into the station and helped himself to a drink of water from the refridgerator, was severly beaten by his colleagues who were unaware of his identity.