SpencerVernon Daley, Staff Reporter
SINCE NOVEMBER last year 572 persons have been recruited to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), State Minister for National Security, Senator Kern Spencer revealed yesterday.
He told the Senate that the Force currently stood at 7,309 members and that the recruitment of additional personnel was proceeding very well. "The Force will reach its full strength in a short while," Senator Spencer added.
Earlier this year, the Government embarked on an aggressive drive to recruit some 1,000 persons to the force in 18 months. Beefing up the Force is an aspect of the Government's plan to tame crime.
Senator Spencer also noted there was an expansion in the counselling programme of the Force, to help members deal with the stress of the profession, as well as personal problems.
"The focus is on the total development of the police officer to make him/her capable of performing the difficult tasks which he/she has," Senator Spencer said.
He was making his contribution to the debate on the Constabulary Force Amendment Act, which was passed by the Senate yesterday. The Bill, piloted by Justice Minister Senator A.J. Nicholson, allows members of the JCF to retire after completing 30 years of service. The official retirement age remains at 60.
Senator Nicholson applauded the Bill, which he said gave policemen the option of deciding when to retire from the Force. This, he said, was important in the context of the extremely dangerous and stressful environment in which the police carry out their functions.
"It means a lot to the men and women of the Constabulary Force," he said.
Leader of Opposition Business Senator Dr. Oswald Harding, gave the Opposition's full support to the Bill, arguing that such measures were important in light of the stress police officers were undergoing.
"At this time the police force need our support," he said.
Senator Harding, however, dismissed suggestions from some sections of the Force, that human rights groups were anti-police. He argued that the human rights groups were defenders of the rights of every citizen of the country, including those of police officers.
