The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the United Nations have marked a milestone in their ongoing cooperation on human rights training and knowledge sharing, with the official handing over of 2,500 Pocket Guides on Human Rights in Law Enforcement last week.

The booklets were officially handed over by UN Resident Coordinator in Jamaica Bruno Pouezat to Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, at the JCF headquarters in Kingston.

UN Jamaica supported the production of the pocket guides as part of a wider human rights collaboration with the National Police College of Jamaica that also includes plans for a series of training workshops, a case manual and an online training course for the Police, Mr Pouezat disclosed.

He said that UN Jamaica was approached by the Police College three years ago to develop curriculum to international standards in order to strengthen human rights interactions of the police, consistent with constitutional and treaty provisions.

“Three years in, we are very happy with the products of this cooperation,” said Pouezat who leads the joint work of 23 UN agencies, funds and programmes in Jamaica.

“The UN is committed to continue to support the process led by the National Police College of Jamaica to help strengthen human rights in the different levels of training curricula in the NPCJ, whether through the development of training materials, exploring external training opportunities, or the training of trainers.”

In his comments, General Anderson welcomed the booklet, while recognising the difficulties faced by officers in a highly violent environment where violence can escalate almost instantaneously.

“Yet, you have to always respond with measure, with taking care of persons’ human rights in these circumstances even though your own life is threatened,” he said. “When our population and the people we serve matter, and we show them that they matter, then we are bridging a gap and ensuring that their rights are protected,” he said.