LIME is partnering with the Police High Command to renovate its strategic infrastructure in order to improve the working conditions and productivity of officers and the communities they serve.

The high-profile theft of 19 guns and over 11,000 rounds of ammunition at the Elletson Road armoury was a dark shadow in the force's long history of protection of its assets. The armoury was closed until LIME refurbished it, putting the critical facility back into operation.

The modern-looking facility was reopened on March 10, 2011, with major changes such as security cameras in and outside the facility, a database system to capture movement of people, the latest in bunker design and fortification for the armoury, strict authorisation procedures for access, and the issue and monitoring of stocks.

The facility is staffed by specifically selected officers who are subject to rigorous tests, including random polygraph examination, to ensure theirs and the armoury's integrity.

Vice-president of LIME's Corporate and SME Sales, Edward Gabbidon, who was involved in the armoury renovation project, recalled how quickly the mobile and Internet provider came to the rescue, following recommendations of the report on the break-in and theft, which compromised the country's security.

"When we heard the recommendations in the report, we immediately took the opportunity to positively impact the country's ability to secure the lives of its citizens," Gabbidon said.

LIME's $8-million cash contribution, which went towards the construction of a state-of-the-art bunker for the armoury and a revamped management structure for the facility, was supported by sweat equity from Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) engineers, who designed and built the bunkers themselves.

Assistant Commissioner of Police George Quallo, who has oversight for the armoury, said LIME's intervention was timely and critical.

Quick to assist

"LIME was quick to assist by contributing greatly to rebuilding this very important infrastructure, as well as the systems and management, which will ensure that this never happens again," Quallo said. Since the refurbishing, everything has been running smoothly

LIME's next of its many initiatives includes the Area Four police headquarters along West Street in downtown Kingston and the Resource Centre at the Denham Town Police Station along Spanish Town Road. The LIME initiatives, which have not been fully costed, came on the heels of reports of poor working conditions at the two critical locations.

The West Street police headquarters is badly in need of renovation. The state of the downtown headquarters and the impact this is having on the morale of the force is also worrying to its commander, who stated that "maintenance of high morale among our police officers is our strategic priority".

The renovation will unveil an attractive building with a new coat of paint and sparkling new windows on the administrative and training sides. Inside, the old look will give way to a newly tiled guardroom, a refurbished reception area, renovated bathrooms, a reconditioned wooden floor, and a brand new training area.

At the nearby Denham Town Police Station, the resource centre, which is widely used by the community, will receive improvement to the ceiling, the windows, and the flooring.

In addition, upon completion, the building will boast Wi-Fi Internet access and computers and printers for students.

LIME's involvement in renovating the centre is in keeping with its commitment to inner-city communities. Gabbidon said, "The centre is surrounded by schools such as Tivoli Primary and Denham Town High School, so it is in high demand and is necessary to uplift members of the community and keep them off the streets."