ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) — The Ocho Rios police station now has a new standby generator costing, including installation, approximately $7.3 million.

Minister of National Security, Robert Montague, who officially handed over the equipment on Thursday (August 31), explained that the generator “has an automatic transfer switch so that as soon as light goes it switches on and switches everything on without anybody doing anything.”

Montague said the standby generator is a “much-needed investment” and will enhance the operations of the police, which have been without such service for more than two and a half years.

“Because Ocho Rios produces so much for the economy of Jamaica, we cannot afford for the men and women, who are serving the citizens here to be without (electricity) service at any time. This administration and this minister take the welfare of our police officers very seriously,” he pointed out.

He noted that Ocho Rios is one of five towns in the country that has closed circuit television (CCTV) coverage and “we want to make sure that at all times the CCTV cameras are up.”

 “We have a total of 37 cameras in Ocho Rios and they have been a great help to the police officers in detecting and preventing crime. Only recently, the cameras detected somebody trying to break into a car and the police was able to respond and prevent that,” he said.