TRELAWNY, Jamaica-The Trelawny police are among the stakeholders in the parish to welcome the recently opened shelter for homeless in Falmouth.

Following the opening of the facility, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Courtney Wilson, who represented the Trelawny Police Division at the opening ceremony, noted that whenever summoned to address matters involving homeless people, the cops faced “a serious challenge of accommodating them.”

“Nobody more than the police know the challenges with the homeless. We are the ones who get the calls when they are lying in the streets. We are the ones who get the calls when they are in traffic begging and people are complaining that they are a nuisance. So we always respond but when we respond there is a dilemma of what to do with them when we take them into custody. Now this has resolved that problem. We no longer have to take them into custody or take them over to our lock-up and have somebody watch them 24 hours. We can just take them here (homeless shelter)” DSP Wilson stated.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, who officially opened the $25million facility, explained that the shelter was constructed to house up to 20 people at a time -14 males and six females. He warned chairman of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, Councillor C Junior Gager that no one in need of the facility must be turned away. In fact, he recommended that if there is extra demand for space, the neighbouring drop- in centre should facilite the overflow.

“The doors of these facilities must never be closed to these persons who are in need of our help,” McKenzie remarked.

But he was quick to warn that the use of illicit drugs will not be countenanced at the premises.

He warned that anyone found with drugs at the shelter will face prosecution by the police who are stationed nearby.

“Being homeless is not an excuse to be engaged in that kind of activity, and this place was not built for that. So we are not going to tolerate it,” McKenzie stated.

He also urged the prospective beneficiaries to protect the facility, which is the first of its type to be established outside of the Corporate Area.

Gager expressed his gratitude to the local government minister for his vision to establish the facility to benefit the homeless community in Trelawny.

“It warms my heart to witness this opening, even as we still celebrate the opening of the drop-in centre. The streets of Falmouth have its fair share of people who just need someone or some place to cater to them. I am happy for this facility which provides shelter for the homeless at night,” Gager said.

Mayor Gager also implored the citizens of Trelawny to care for the facility and not allow it to be vandalised.