MAY PEN, Clarendon — Head of the Clarendon Police Division Senior Superintendent Michael Bailey and his team are still celebrating May Pen Police Station’s recognition as ‘The Best Police Station’ in the recently held Public Sector Customer Service Awards competition.

The Government’s Information arm Jamaica information Service (JIS) said the station won in the ‘Best of Like’ category which is reserved for selected entities that have high public contact and serve customers from various locations, branches, or parish offices across Jamaica.

Winners were chosen based on the level of voting by members of the public islandwide. The judges then assessed the data and confirmed the locations that received the most votes.

The winners in this category received J$40,000 and a plaque of recognition.

“I am grateful and would like to commend the staff who have worked hard and allowed the Division to be so successful,” Bailey said.

He said several new strategies were implemented in the Division, which placed the station in a favourable position to secure the award. One of these is a ticketing system.

“Not only do our customers get a ticket to wait, there is also someone who assesses the customers and those who have urgent matters are dealt with first,” Bailey explained.

“We also do training of our staff, through workshops and seminars each week; assessing the orders from the Commissioner of Police, new directives, new policies and prepare the staff accordingly,” he said.

He pointed out that the May Pen police do their usual community policing in Clarendon, in an effort to increase the residents’ confidence in them and to rid the parish of gangs.

The officers work with the youth, through their Community Safety and Security Unit that is responsible for improving and forming new youth clubs, neighbourhood watches and citizen associations. They also ensure that in each police district, there are at least two meetings per week.

“At these meetings we bring to the residents an update of our policing activities and we try to get their input on what is happening and what they would like to see done in an effort to build our partnership,” the Senior Superintendent said.

Bailey said that a farmers’ watch and a business watch, similar to the neighbourhood watch, are among new strategies planned for Clarendon. These are in response to praedial larceny problems and crimes committed against the business community.