Police to ensure public safety as Jamaica braces for storm

 

Police Commissioner Dr. Kevin Blake says members of the security forces will be deployed across the island to ensure public safety during the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa. 

 

Speaking at Friday's special press briefing, Dr. Blake said the Jamaica Constabulary Force has joined forces with the Jamaica Defence Force to protect the country's critical infrastructures and to carry out rescue missions.

 

"The quick response units stand ready to support evacuation, rescue and post-impact security. Coordination with the JDF for joint monitoring of critical infrastructure is underway and some of these critical infrastructure that have been identified, that we are paying key attention to are Petrojam and the Fuel Depot, airports and seaports, our hospitals and major medical facilities, our business district and financial hubs, our courts, correctional facilities and all government offices and our major road networks and bridges."

 

He added that the JCF is satisfied with its equipment and resources, having conducted a check of its inventory of emergency supplies and protective gears.

 

Dr. Blake said the Police Emergency Command Centre has been activated to assist residents in distress during the storm. 

 

"We have checked and fuelled our generators. Our communication assets, including our Police Emergency Command Centre that has always withstood these challenges, is in a very good state and we expect it to be up and running and carry us through. In terms of recovery and post-impact actions in the event of the storm, the impact of the hurricane, as is expected for it to become, immediate damage assessment teams are in place to report on infrastructure and public safety conditions. Deployment of personnel will be done to maintain order, prevent looting and support search and rescue, and this will consume majority of our human resource deployment," he outlined at Friday's special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister. 

 

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Michael Phipps, head of the Area Four Police, has said there will be a heavy deployment of members of the security forces to protect businesses in the Corporate Area during the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa. 

 

ACP Phipps warned that the Police High Command will take a zero-tolerance approach to acts of vandalism and looting in the commercial districts during the storm. 

 

"We know that the divisions owes a number of vital infrastructure which includes government installations as also some vulnerable areas which will require special policing attention to ensure safety and protection of all as well. We know too that there'll be threats to some vital infrastructure, whether through acts of vandalism and looting or otherwise. These will be strictly monitored and, of course, we will provide the necessary protection in collaboration with our stakeholders and their persons in charge of security for these installations."

 

He said the police commissioner has instructed that security be beefed up in all police lockups to prevent attempted jail breaks during the storm. 

 

"The divisions with major police lockups will ensure that the structures are inspected and adequate staff is deployed to these lockups to prevent any possibility of an attempt at jail break. We will provide policing services throughout and of course our main focus will be around the maintenance of law and order, the protection of life and property, the protection and the detection of crime, and of course we will seek to protect the staff of our relief agencies and we will initiate and participate in any rescue and recovery that may be deemed necessary," ACP Phipps outlined.