MINISTER of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says 87 new district constables will be deployed to the resort areas of Montego Bay and Negril on July 19.

This is among measures being put in place to ensure the safety and security component of the Destination Assurance agenda, which is being crafted in collaboration with stakeholders across the industry, Bartlett said.

Bartlett, who was meeting with tourism stakeholders in Negril to discuss issues affecting the community and steps being taken by Government to address them, said action will be initially taken to support and strengthen the formal security arrangements in the resort communities.

As a result of an arrangement between the ministries of tourism and national security the 87 new district constables, who will be graduating from the Police Academy in July, will be assigned to Montego Bay and Negril.

He further revealed that in the future, police officers assigned to resort towns will undergo the Team Jamaica training programme. “Their action will be to firmly uphold the law, but they will be doing so with a friendly gesture,” the minister said.