ST ANDREW, Jamaica — The High Command of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JC) says it has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the breakdown of communication between the St James Police and staff at the Horizon Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston (HARC), which resulted in prisoners who were  transported to that facility, being returned to St James.

According to the police, 50 prisoners from the St James Police Division were transported to the Horizon Adult Remand Centre (HARC) in Kingston yesterday.  However, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) staff at HARC said they were unable to receive the prisoners due to the unavailability of cell space.

This comes after Security Minister Robert Montague last month that space would be allocated at Horizon, and Tamarind Farm in St Catherine to facilitate persons detained in the St James state of public emergency.

“We have designated a section separate from where other inmates and those who are on appeal at Horizon are — a totally separate space that meets the standards internationally, for holding persons,” the minister said.

According to the High Command, Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of St James, Wilfred Campbell, accepted that there was an absence of the usual communication between his office and the Department of Correctional Services command staff at HARC, which led to the prisoners being returned to St James.

“This absence of communication resulted in unacceptable anxiety for the prisoners and their families,” said SSP Campbell.

With this, the Police High Command said following its probe, it will take appropriate action pending the outcome of the investigations.