Green Acres police station a partnership with the community
The Green Acres Police Station in St Catherine, for which ground was broken for its construction last Friday, is a good example of community partnership with the police, says Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang.
The police station is one of 60 stations targeted for the fiscal year 2019-2020, under Project Rebuild, Overhaul and Construct (P-ROC), Chang said in the keynote address at the ground-breaking ceremony.
P-ROC aims to convert police stations islandwide into modern, citizen-friendly workspaces, provide officers with a comfortable environment conducive for work, while creating the ambience for citizens to willingly and comfortably engage the police. To date, 18 police stations are being renovated, 22 have been completed and the remaining 20 are expected to start before the end of this financial year.
“The Government understands that in addition to fundamental infrastructural work, education, health, and public safety are facets that we must seek to improve in strengthening the country and the economy,” said the minister. He added that there was great value in rebuilding and retrofitting police stations, as creating public safety was important in settling communities and reassuring citizens that they should live and invest where they reside.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Gary Griffiths who represented Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, said the groundbreaking exercise highlighted the Government’s commitment to improving the welfare of police officers, adding: “My work has been made much easier as the morale of my members has been lifted, which ultimately improves the delivery of service to the public.”
Member of Parliament for West Central St Catherine Dr Christopher Tufton said the construction of Green Acres Police Station represented the Government’s agenda to rebuild communities and improve the lives of citizens. He said fighting crime was not a “one-man show”.
“If we are going to fight crime in Jamaica, the Government alone cannot do it. When the police are supported by members of the community, you get to see the safety and security you have never seen before – if we decide to work together,” Tufton added.
