Constable Mark Chin of the Grants Pen police explaining the new 'Safe School' initiative to students of the New Day Primary and Junior High School in Grants Pen, St. Andrew, yesterday. Under this new programme, police personnel will be placed in 60 selected schools across the island.
-Damion Mitchell photo
Damion Mitchell & Devon Evans, Gleaner Reporters
THERE WERE mixed reactions yesterday, to the new 'Safe School' initiative of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), which involves the assignment of police personnel to 60 schools islandwide.
"The police do not play a role here. We have no insurmountable problem," said a spokesperson at the Manchester High School.
And Stanley Skeene, president of the Association of Principals and Vice-principals, who is also principal of the May Day High School in Manchester, said, "I consider it out of taste that a group of policemen should turn up at the school without consultation and explanation."
Last week, Police Commissioner Francis Forbes, in announcing the initiative, said it would help to curb violent and rowdy behaviour in learning institutions.
Meanwhile, the police officers assigned to the Donald Quarrie High School in Kingston were welcomed by several parents and grade seven students, but there were mumblings when a constable from the Rollington Town Police Station arrived at the Dunoon Technical High School in Kingston.
In St. Ann, Leslie Riley, principal of the Marcus Garvey Technical High School, said the decision to place members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force in some schools was a move in the right direction.
"I think we have to reach the position where we manage schools by an inter-agency approach," he said, adding that the police presence in his school would have a positive impact on the overall behaviour of students and that it would also help to improve the image of the school.
Meanwhile, Sonia Ormsby-Salmon, principal of the New Day Primary and Junior High School in Grants Pen, St. Andrew, said the assignment of police personnel in her school only formalised an initiative which began several months ago.
HAPPY
"I am happy for it," she said. Constable G.R. Bennett, one of two policemen assigned to the school, said he was looking forward to developing better relationships with the students. "We are here to work with them," he said.
Under the 'Safe School' initiative, police personnel will be required to work closely with the respective guidance counsellors to organise programmes for the development of students.
Staff Reporter Francine Black and Gleaner Correspondent Byron McDaniel contributed to this story.
