KINGSTON, Jamaica — The fleet of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has been expanded with the addition of 30 new service vehicles, handed over by the Ministry of National Security on Friday, January 19.

According to a news release, the L-200 pickup trucks, valued at $230 million, were presented at the Office of the Commissioner of Police in Kingston. An additional 16 Hilux pickup trucks and four Hiace buses, totalling $177 million, are scheduled for delivery next week.

National Security Minister, Horace Chang, expressed that the investment is part of the Government’s commitment to equip the Security Forces with the resources needed to support crime-fighting efforts.

“A number of them will be involved in crime-scene management and special activities of the Police Force. Over 40 will be added to the geographic teams and the special operations teams that carry out patrols. The Superintendents will get them and assign them to the most appropriate areas,” he informed.

Dr Chang noted, also, that the vehicles will play a crucial role in improved mobility and will bolster rapid response by JCF personnel.

“This will bring 50 vehicles in Jamaica [across] 19 divisions. It will have a significant impact on activity and visibility [of the JCF], which is what we want to come out of this,” he noted.

In his remarks, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, said the investment marks another milestone in the Government’s ongoing effort to strengthen the capabilities of the JCF.

“Whereas these vehicles are an investment in the JCF, I see them more as an investment in the people we serve, an investment in the communities, because how we use these vehicles is to go and serve, to protect, to reassure, and to ensure that our people get safer and safer as we do our work,” he said.