National Security Minister, Robert Montague says the Government’s response to crime will be based on facts and firm intelligence.
“It will not be a knee jerk response. It will be deliberate, studied and targeted. The illegal gun and gunmen are our targets.”
The Minister made the statement at the United District Constables Association (UDCA) 37th Anniversary Church Service, held at the Portmore New Testament Church of God on June 18.
Minister Montague was speaking against the back drop of the recent surge in incidents of crime and what he describes as the twin problem of a proliferation of guns and a lack of information from the citizenry.
“The number one twin problem that drives crime is the illegal gun and lack of information,” he said.
Minister Montague implored the citizenry to remain confident in the five pillar crime reduction strategy. “This government will not be engaging in any knee-jerk reactions. We urge all Jamaica to remain calm and understand that the government has laid a firm foundation with the five-pillar crime reduction strategy.”
The five pillars he spoke of are Effective Policing, Swift and Sure Justice Processes, Situational Prevention, Crime Prevention through Social Development and Rehabilitation and Redemption.
The Minister further urged members of the public to say what they know to help reduce crime. “I appeal to my bredren and sistren, give up the information. Some people say they don’t trust the police. If you have a choice to trust someone; the gunman or the police, who will you trust?”
During the service Minister Montague also commended the service of the police and underscored the need for each Jamaican to find a police officer they can trust. “You can talk to a police officer you know. You have the Stay Alert App. You have Crime Stop, You have 119, you can write what you know, place it an envelope with an X written on it and drop it at the post office. There is no reason why you should not give information,” the Minister reiterated.
In the meantime,
One hundred District Constables are slated to join the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) within the next four months.
“As we move to build a better Jamaica, I am happy to inform that 100 District Constables are entering the police training college to be trained as members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. We congratulate them.”
Minister Montague established that there is a need to increase the number of police officers on the streets because the country is faced with the twin problem of the illegal guns and a lack of information from citizens.
He noted that the training of the District Constables will boost the human resource capability of the JCF and reduce the shortage of police personnel in the short and long term.
“After a minimum of two years as a DC sitting an exam and passing, doing a physical a medical and passing a lie detector test, they will be trained for four months, be on probation for two years then become proud members of the Constabulary Force,” he said.
The Minister also use the opportunity to remind District Constables of recent amendments to make them pensionable. “As Minister, and on behalf of the Government of Jamaica, I salute your service. Effective April 2016, District Constables are now pensionable,” he stated.
The training of District Constables is part of the move to drive Effective Policing; one of the five pillars of the crime reduction strategy being implemented by the Ministry of National Security.
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