MONTEGO BAY, St James — National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang has promised that he will look into how to do more for retired members of Jamaica Constabulary Force, stressing that progress has been made in caring for cops on the job, .

“It is indeed an unacceptable situation, but we have taken steps to ensure welfare as a portfolio is in better operation for the active service members, to ensure that the structure of compensation is so that at least there is some kind of a pension that is worthwhile. Now we must look at what is happening to many of our officers who have been retired under extremely difficult circumstances,” stated the security minister.

He was addressing the Association of Past Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Benevolence Society (APMJCF) Chapter 1, 30th anniversary church service. It was held at the Diocese of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands St James Parish Church in Montego Bay on Sunday.

“We will work with you and I fully appreciate the invite here today and look forward to continuing after the service to have this discussion with your associates at some point to look at what is happening to the officers,” Dr Chang promised.

APMJCF Chapter 1, which encompasses Police Area One which covers the parishes of Hanover, St James, Trelawny, and Westmoreland, has an active membership of approximately 25 of the more than 79 registered. Dr Chang explained that with the entity registered as a benevolent society and association, this has provided an opportunity to begin talks about the welfare of retired police officers.

“What we have done so far as a Government is to adjust salary scales to reflect the entire salary rather than allowances which will make a significant difference in pension in the long run. But from a ministerial point of view, they have registered their association as a Benevolence Society. So the Government will have to look at how we can keep them functioning effectively over a period of time,” he told the Jamaica Observer after the church service.

“It’s a critical element really, because it’s an established registered benevolence society. So they can be, in fact, assisted without affecting the other long-term requirements of the Government with pensions,” Dr Chang, who is also the deputy prime minister, explained.

Secretary of APMJCF Chapter 1 Barrington Sergeant welcomed the minister’s promise of further dialogue.

“It was encouraging. We look forward to that sort of communication and we hope that it will be fruitful,” he stated.

Sergeant noted that over the years the association has been working at getting the police high command to recognise and allow the group to assist current serving members.

“Some of us have served well, and if we see the young men out there slipping up, we can have a word with them. We can help to guide them and mentor them because some of them really need the mentorship,” said Sergeant.

“If we can serve our past needy members and be an example to the present members, we would have accomplished our main goal — inspiring a united, caring, and sharing society,” he added.

Acting Commissioner of Police Glenford Miller, who represented the Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake at the church service, told the Observer that there is currently a very good relationship between retirees and current serving members.

“We have retirees who continue to give mentorship to persons like myself, the younger generation — although I’m not all that young — but they are giving support to the younger generation because we need advice. We need advice from persons who have actually gone through some things, especially in a time like this where we are seeing some challenges, especially in relation to crime. We need the guidance and the support of everyone. And who’s a better person, who’s best to support us than our retirees? I can say they are doing that and this is something that we applaud them for,” stated Miller.

“We try to find ways and means in which we can actually put them back on a path; a better path of survival. Remember, these are persons who have actually given most of their lives to the Jamaica Constabulary Force. So these are persons we continue to support,” said Miller.

Opposition Leader Mark Golding was represented by the Deputy General Secretary of the People’s National Party (PNP), Nekeisha Burchell.

Among the many organisations that turned out to give support on Sunday were Kiwanians, friendly societies, St James Combined Citizens’ Association, Retired Firefighters’ Association, Retired Jamaica Defence Force Officers’ Association, the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica.