MONTEGO BAY, St James — In a bid to stave off tension between vendors and cops on the streets of this western city, newly installed commanding officer for Barnett Street Police Station Detective Sergeant Ricardo Clarke is on a mission to ensure those who engage in commerce know the rules they should follow. He is hoping that, armed with that knowledge, they will be less inclined to run afoul of the law.

Prostitution within Old Shoe Market — and to a lesser extent People’s Arcade — and the impact of related disputes is among the issues that will be tackled as he holds talks with vendors. He will also educate them about licensing requirements for their various businesses. Old Shoe Market and the arcade are the two major areas for authorised vending in Montego Bay but have long been a challenge to police.

“They have been areas of sore points for us and therefore it’s about educating the persons who use both [venues] that some of the things that they are doing are illegal,” Clarke told the Jamaica Observer.

“With educating them, it gives them an opportunity to make amends of whatever wrongs that they are doing,” he said optimistically.

Clarke listed a litany of ways in which rules are now being broken.

“Some of them are operating bars without a spirit licence, some of them don’t have requisite food handler’s permit, some of them don’t have [a] hawker’s and peddler’s licence. We are aware that prostitutes use the spaces over there for sexual activities, we are aware of that as well,” he added on a topic that has been far from secret over the years.

Clarke outlined the challenges that come with prostitution in the heart of the western city.

“Because of that we get assaults and wounding offences coming out of that particular area,” he told the Observer.

This is one of the reasons he is eager to speak with small and micro business operators.

“We are moving into an educational perspective of pointing out what are the offences and how it is they can do what is right. In doing so, it gives us an opportunity to have persons who are knowledgeable about the laws — especially the Town and Communities Act and the Acts that have to do with what you do in the street,” Clarke explained.

This, he said, is part of the short-term objectives the leadership of Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has outlined for the Barnett Street police area.

“We will do this through sensitisation, community-type meetings. We will go in and meet with the persons who occupy the spaces there,” Clarke explained.

“Part of what the commander of the division will do is that we will have those community meetings as part of our community, security and safety programme where we will speak on some of the basic things such as, if you want to operate business, what it takes to maintain that business,” he said.

He believes once vendors understand what is driving policing efforts they will find it easier to comply.

“Some of the vendors don’t really know that they should have their receipt books, and things like that, in regards to selling on the street that will tell us where they purchased these goods [and if they] were gotten legally,” he said.

“If it is that police come and ask for those things, you should be in a position to produce same,” said Clarke.

The cop wants those who operate Montego Bay’s small and micro businesses to cooperate with the police as they carry out their lawful duties.

“It’s not about taking them out of their sphere but helping them to protect their livelihoods, and do[ing] so in a manner that you don’t see police as the enemy but a key stakeholder in maintaining good order for the town,” he said.

“We have an opportunity to always showcase what the JCF is doing, and showcase in a positive manner and educate the public that they will understand that policing is for them — and the courtesies and the respect that we get, we will give to the public,” Clarke told the Observer.

In addition to the work they will do with vendors, he said a reduction in murders will also be an area of focus this year. Last year, the Barnett Street police area recorded 29 murders, and Clarke wants to see the numbers decrease this year.

“We want to have enough officers in place so that it is difficult to commit a crime in Montego Bay and get away with it,” he said.

“That is the push we have for the first six months: To make Montego Bay a crime-free space. And if there is a crime, [we want to ensure] we have the necessary personnel to intercept or capture those persons responsible,” he added.