SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — Director for Safety and Security in Schools, police sergeant Coleridge Minto doesn’t hide his ambition to be commissioner of police one fine day.

In fact, at age 39, he has already applied for the post twice — the first occasion was when he was still a young constable.

It’s an aspiration he shares with students and young people — using the story of his own life as a possible source of inspiration.

“All of you have greatness in you,” Minto told scores of 11- and 12-year-old boys from schools in the region of Junction, South East St Elizabeth, at an anti-crime positive values and attitude certification award function last month.

“Do not listen to negative comments,” he said.

“When people tell you, ‘you dunce’, tell them you are bright; when people tell you you are poor, tell them ‘it doesn’t matter, I am going to be rich’. When people tell you that you not going to make it to university, tell them you going to university,” Minto, who is on secondment to the Ministry of Education from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), told the children.

The certification programme which had as its theme ‘Youth Transformation… mindset change’ was coordinated by social worker and mentor Archibald Edwards, who has run similar values and attitudes’ training for children in recent years.

The latest project, aimed specifically at boys, sought to build “self-esteem and positive affirmation” using uplifting messages channelled by guidance counsellors and teachers.

Edwards told those at the ceremony that he was seeking help from the public and private sector to train 25,000 boys annually. Mindset change at an early age was crucial for the crime fight, he argued.

Minto, who joined the police force 15 years ago, has upgraded himself academically by leaps and bounds during his time as a policeman. He told the Jamaica Observer that he has two Master’s degrees — in public administration as well as business administration and a bachelor of science degree. He is close to completing a law degree and is eying a pilot’s licence.

Minto, who was representing education minister Ronnie Thwaites at the certification function in Junction, told the children that, while still a constable, he signalled high ambition when he applied for the police commissioner’s job.

Unsurprisingly, he was told by the Police Services Commission: “Sorry, you are not qualified enough.”

“I told myself I am going to make sure that never happens to me again,” said Minto… “You know what I did? I finished my first degree and entered a master’s programme,” he added.

With the exit of Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin as commissioner of police in 2009, Minto, then a corporal, again applied for the top post despite the jeers and laughter of some colleagues.

This time, said Minto, he had the satisfaction of being shortlisted.

“They interviewed me, they said you are qualified, but we not ready for you yet,” said Minto.

“I am not going to give up now,” said Minto to a backdrop of prolonged applause.

Yet, according to Minto, his life story could easily have been otherwise. He told how he had been doing badly at high school when “somebody grabbed me and said ‘young man there is greatness in you'”.

He would eventually enter the police academy with five CXC passes but excelled to the point where he took the top award after nine months of training – fulfilling a boast he had made at the start of his course.

Others at the certification ceremony, including Opposition Leader Andrew Holness, Custos Beryl Rochester, Superintendent of Police Lanford Salmon, Social Development Commission (SDC) Parish manager, Alrick Miller, Member of Parliament for South East St Elizabeth Richard Parchment and Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) caretaker Frank Witter, underlined the importance of positive values and healthy ambition.