Police bolster presence in south-central parishes for holidays
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here are imploring motorists to obey traffic changes even as cops increase their presence in south-central Jamaica for the Yuletide.
“The business activity is very robust and you are seeing the traffic [management], so our presence here is to ensure that we maintain public order and to provide that sort of reassurance to our people,” head of Police Area Three Assistant Commissioner Calvin Allen told journalists on Monday.
Police Area Three consists of the parishes of Manchester, Clarendon and St Elizabeth.
Allen, who led a team of police personnel, including Manchester’s commanding officer, Deputy Superintendent Carey Duncan, and operations officer Lohas Daniels at the briefing, said the increased presence is to bolster safety.
“You are seeing our traffic officers, ensuring that the traffic is flowing… Some of our officers are in the market area and all geared towards that sort of safety, security and reassurance at this time,” he said.
“What you are seeing here is also being replicated in Black River and Santa Cruz in the St Elizabeth Division; and in Christiana and Spalding, Manchester. When we talk about Clarendon, one of the major towns, May Pen, is getting a similar type of attention,” he added.
He, meanwhile, appealed to motorists to adhere to the road code.
“Police presence right now is crucial towards ensuring order and safety and as I have always stressed, we are out here in different shapes and forms, all geared towards traffic flow and our citizens’ safety,” he said.
“Obey the signage that is there, whether it is a stop sign or otherwise, whether it is a one-way or otherwise; we expect our motorists to comply and most times when we have that compliance we have less congestion. We really want people in whichever of the towns you are in to comply with the signs; the necessary adjustments that have been made to facilitate traffic flow, just obey,” he added.
Allen also commended police personnel in Area Three.
“Three, overall, has performed well; we have managed to reduce the incidence of crime in a significant way, so I want to extend profound thanks to the leadership of the respective divisions. Thank you and season’s greetings,” he said.
