McGregor calls for more resources for JCF's Community Safety and Security Branch

 

The People's National Party's deputy spokesperson on citizen security, Steve McGregor, has called for more resources to be pumped into the community safety and security apparatus of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. 

 

His call follows the murder of nine-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon in Job Lane, St. Catherine last Friday, as well as news that the police are searching for a suspect who sexually assaulted two primary school students in Church Pen, Old Harbour. 

 

Mr. McGregor, a former head of the Community Safety and Security Branch of the JCF, said incidents such as these must trigger more serious investment in proactive strategies. 

 

The former senior crime fighter said the Community Safety and Security Branch, which is represented in every division across the island, needs not just praise but proper funding.

 

"They are responsible for social intervention, monitoring youth groups, all the different engagement exercises that the police need to do to bring the division and its commander closer to the police. Each Community Safety and Security Branch should be funded so they can effectively fund the different community safety arms around the division so they can do it. There are other social arms with government, but they are not as consistent as the community safety arm that is a ready-made vehicle to carry these kinds of assistance, so we can prevent incidents like these," he suggested. 

 

Mr. McGregor insisted that the work of the community safety branch helps to influence the attitudes of young people to more positive behaviour, which will lead to better outcomes for the country.