KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — State Minister for National Security, Pearnel Charles Jr, has called on members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) who have benefited from domestic violence training to become ambassadors in ending the scourge in the society.

 “I expect to see you in the churches, in schools, at the community centres, and teaching other uniformed groups, as this is not a police issue; it is a Jamaica issue,” he said. 

 He was speaking at the conclusion of a training session at the Police Officers’ Club in St Andrew on last week Thursday.

 Charles said there seems to be a cultural acceptance of domestic violence in Jamaica, which must end, as it contributes to other problems in the society.

 He pointed out that when children see their parents engage in physical and other forms of violence at home, it signals to them that this is the correct way to resolve differences.

 “Domestic violence creates murderers, the scammers; it creates all of the other aspects of criminal activities. Domestic violence is the root of all of the crimes that we have accepted over the years,” he contended.

 The domestic violence training is a collaborative partnership between the JCF’s Community Safety and Security Branch and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-sponsored Community Empowerment and Transformation Project Phase II (COMET II).

The objective is to equip members of the Force to respond to domestic incidents, which account for a large portion of the country’s crime problem.

The JCF is aiming to have at least one person in each of the 174 police stations across the island operate as a point person to interrupt domestic violence incidents at the community level.