- RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Residents of August Town, St. Andrew, on September 20, 2004, protest against what they claimed was the indiscriminate shooting of two community members by Jamaica Defence Force soldiers.
Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
POLICE COMMISSIONER Lucius Thomas says the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), through the assistance of the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, will be establishing community-based programmes in the country's high crime zones.
"This is something that we have done in the past," Commissioner Thomas told The Gleaner yesterday. He said such programmes had been successfully implemented in areas such as Payne Avenue.
Mr. Thomas further said that the social intervention programmes were critical to the efforts of the security forces in the community. He also added that the police have been getting a lot of support from various groups.
"We have been getting calls from various groups, asking us how they can assist," said Commissioner Thomas.
BUILDING A BRIDGE OF COOPERATION
From the onset, this was part of the commissioner's message when he took over the leadership of the JCF on January 19. Commissioner Thomas said the police were determined to face the challenges and to facilitate an atmosphere which will be conducive to building a bridge of harmony, trust, respect and cooperation between citizens and the membership of the JCF.
A team of senior officers met last week to discuss various programmes that could be implemented in the troubled communities of August Town, St. Andrew, McIntyre Land in East Kingston and Spanish Town, St. Catherine.
On the agenda are activities such as health fairs, educational programmes and projects to facilitate the elderly.
In 2002, then Police Commissioner Francis Forbes suggested a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the country's crime problem, but the social intervention element got little support.
