KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans are satisfied with renovated police facilities across the country under the Ministry of National Security’s Project Rebuild, Overhaul, and Construct (PROC) initiative.

This was the general consensus from a recent survey conducted between March and September 2021 by the ministry’s Monitoring and Evaluation, Research and Data Analytics Branch (MERDAB) in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

The survey collated data from over 400 residents and 249 police officers with the aim of garnering their perception of the police facilities and community policing before and after renovation works.

The ministry said approximately 90 per cent of residents interviewed in rural and urban police divisions reported that they were satisfied with the renovation work done under Project ROC. This finding, according to the ministry, correlates with the views expressed by a majority of the residents that customer service improved at the police facility after renovation. 

It noted that although there was overall customer satisfaction, approximately one in every six residents was dissatisfied with customer service across the country. In this regard, it said recommendations were made to revise the JCF’s customer service training programme and improve programme outcomes. 

The survey also revealed that most police officers (64 per cent) were satisfied with upgrades to their assigned police station at the time of the study. Before the renovations, around 16 per cent of the officers indicated that the police station they served in was ‘safe’. However, after rehabilitation of the station, this figure was significantly higher — with approximately 60 per cent of officers reporting that the police station was ‘safe’, the ministry said.

Since 2019, over 100 stations have been repaired or renovated at $853 million across the country. Project ROC aims at converting all police stations into modern, citizen-friendly workspaces and providing officers with a comfortable work environment while creating the ambience for citizens to willingly and comfortably engage the police.

The project is financed through direct funding from the ministry’s budget, as well as by the National Housing Trust and the Jamaica Social Investment Fund which have committed to providing over $2 billion to rebuilding and renovating select police stations in communities across the island.