KINGSTON, Jamaica — Police Commissioner George Quallo says the attrition rate for the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) stands at approximately 500 per annum.

This attrition rate, Quallo explained, has resulted in the JCF facing a shortage of human resources.

To address this issue, the JCF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding in August with the University of the West Indies, Mona, through which the university will facilitate the training of 3,000 police recruits over three years.

This training began earlier this month.

In addition to this, the Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) Consequential Amendment to Section 5 of the Constabulary Force Act created new punitive sanctions for officers who resign without sixth-months notice in writing or permission from the police commissioner.

However, the Jamaica Police Federation has given the Government two weeks to remove the amendment.

The federation, in a press release Wednesday, said it has written, through its attorney, to Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck, giving the Government 14 days to take steps in furtherance of removing the amendment to Section 5 and 70 of the Constabulary Force Act created by ZOSO.

“In the event that this is not done, an application will be made to the court to decide whether the constitutional rights of the members have been breached or are likely to be breached by the imposition of the new unilaterally modified contract of service,” Police Federation Chairman Sergeant Raymond Wilson said.