MONTEGO BAY, St James — With the removal of 14 years of debris, old vehicles and vines that threatened to strangle Barnett Street Police Station in Montego Bay, the new station supervisor says there has been a very noticeable improvement in staff morale and productivity.

Detective Sergeant Ricardo Clarke told the Jamaica Observer that since mounds or garbage were removed on January 11, none of the staff have called in sick, they arrive early and leave late and have been making more arrests.

“I have not had to speak to anyone with regards to timeliness. As a matter of fact, persons who should leave work at 8:00 in the morning not leaving until 9:00 am and persons who should reach work at 6:00 pm are reaching from 5:15 pm,” he said.

“The output with regards to what we do on the road has moved from 22 per cent to 179 per cent. We used to have one arrest per week and that has moved to at least nine arrests per week. The execution of warrants has moved from nil to an average of four per week, that’s how much things have improved,” added an obviously pleased Clarke.

According to Clarke, the improved performance was what he had hoped for when the decision was taken to clean up the station popularly referred to as 14, its exact location on bustling Barnett Street.

However, he said there is still some work left to be done.

“We have another clean-up day coming this Sunday where we want to finish off all that was left in the building, all that we had taken off, the vines that were growing on the building and all of that, we are clearing that,” Clarke told the Observer.

He explained that most of the built-up garbage came from a fire, years ago, that damaged one of the major dorms. Though there was some remedial work done and the station reopened to the public, there were still some leftover debris on the property.

“All that debris that we have been clearing had built up over a 14-year period and our intention now is to get it out. The police had tried to clean [the fire-damaged section] before, but based on the fact that it is a heritage site that was not done,” he said.

“It became an occupational hazard because of the debris that was falling apart. As a matter of fact, one time a section of the building fell and it was like a minute after a police officer, who was standing there, had walked off,” Clarke added.

He said the removal of derelict vehicles has also made a huge difference.

“We have more space; the confusion of parking on the compound, that has been streamlined and is working. It is just having an environment that is conducive for productive policing,” the station supervisor stated.

There are plans to continually improve staff welfare and the expectation is that this will translate into better service to the public.

“The change in the environment has made the environment lighter and cleaner and has made it more accessible for working,” Clarke said.

“If the working conditions at the station are much better, then the output is going to be much better. If the facilities at the station are upgraded, then individuals will get upgraded customer service and policing from police officers and that has been the case,” he added.