MONTEGO BAY, St James — A major clean-up of Barnett Street Police Station in Montego Bay will begin on Sunday, even as efforts continue to move fire-razed Granville Police Station to a new location.

According to divisional commander for the St James police, Superintendent Eron Samuels, work at Barnett Street will include removing derelict vehicles, fixing bathrooms and other activities.

“We want to paint the exterior, put up some signage and remove the waste that is there,” he told the Jamaica Observer after Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation.

He had earlier told the meeting that work has already begun but would intensify on January 12. Assistance will be provided by the municipal corporation and the fire department.

The Barnett Street lockup has had its fair share of challenges over the years, including its main residential buildings being severely damaged by fire in 2010. The facility was up and running again after rehabilitation work in 2012. Samuels said it was time for an upgrading of the station which is critical to his team’s effort to police the area from Sangster International Airport to Westgate.

“Last year we had 29 murders within the Barnett Street space and we believe that if we can significantly reduce this, it will aid us in achieving our objective in bringing murders below 100 in St James for 2025,” he said.

Like the Barnett Street location, Granville Police Station has been damaged by fire — but to a greater extent. The entire facility was destroyed about three years ago. Operations have been moved to the police post inside Meadows of Irwin, a gated community.

In providing an update, Samuels told the meeting that a new location has been earmarked for a larger station to be built.

“The initial location that the Granville police is at, we have moved away from that, based on some concerns that were raised by the actual owners. They have organised a different plot of land which allows us to do a bigger and more comprehensive station,” he said.

“It takes some time for redesigning and everything to be sorted but whatever issues there were have been sorted and they are looking to push ahead,” the senior cop added.

He did not disclose the new location nor a timeline for when work would begin.

“I am very cautious in how I respond in that regard. So hopefully, we should see something started this year, I’m not sure when but this year has 12 months,” Samuels said cryptically when asked for a start date.

“In terms of the technical persons, it takes a little time for things to be sorted. I cannot give a timeline but I was assured that we should see some progress this year,” he added.