Dear Editor,

In the past year my eyes have been opened to what is a glaring failure of our Government, business sector and our communities. Only when you really see what dedicated members of our police teams have to struggle with daily that you appreciate their efforts “to serve and protect”.

The other day I was at a police station near the end of a shift. Would you believe officers, after a long, tiring day of putting their lives on the line to protect us and respond to emergencies, had to go to the bus stop to take a robot taxi ride home? Really?! No bus to transport them in this time when they are threatened daily and exhausted after a long shift that usually continues way past the stipulated hours? Weren’t officers killed doing just that? Wasn’t transport promised?

At work they barely have the gear needed to stand up to the firepower and aggressive attacks by criminal perpetrators in society, but without complaining they go out there every day.

Writing reports and taking statements is a big part of police work. They don’t even have paper! Let’s not mention a computer. Can some corporate office donate a ream of paper periodically. Many officers have developed wrist problems trying to write reports on chairs too low for their desks — if they even have a chair. There is not even a water cooler in the heat we have been having now.

There is nothing in place for officers to relax after or before a shift. No gym, no games room, no exercise sessions, no massages, no hugs, no counselling, no debriefing after seeing things daily. These conditions will break anybody, but they have to suck it up and go on. Nothing to ease the stress they face every day.

Family life gets a big hit, too, as they are constantly on the job, even when they are on a day off/off duty.

Police officers work hard, real hard!

I won’t mention salary and benefits, we all know that score.

But do we even say thank you to the members of the force? Can we help them? Can each community adopt a station and help with basics, just basics to make life even fractionally better for them? Can corporate Jamaica help with fund-raising/donations for water coolers, an exercise room, a chair? Can counsellors offer private sessions once a month? Can we show them we care? Can we make their lives a little easier?

Cecille Bernard

cmseabee66@gmail.com