St Catherine North police no loitering campaign keeping students off the streets

The St Catherine North Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says an initiative aimed at keeping students off the streets and ensuring they get to school on time has already yielded noticeable results.

Called ‘Operation Learn, Not Loiter’, the programme, implemented in September 2025, seeks to promote discipline, improve attendance, and protect students from the dangers associated with loitering in town centres during school hours. It also reinforces the importance of education and responsible behaviour.

It was conceptualised by Safe School Coordinator of the St Catherine North Community Safety and Security Branch (CSSB), Constable Joel Robinson, who told JIS News that the idea stemmed from concern about the number of students seen idling on the roads.

“Since I was invested with the role as a Safe School Coordinator, I told myself that I must do something about this because it is not a good sight,” he shared.

Constable Robinson explained that the main goal is to ensure that students spend more time in the classroom where they can learn in a safe environment.

The operation is currently being carried out in the Spanish Town business district, where officers engage with students to encourage punctuality and consistent attendance.

Constable Robinson noted that there are plans to expand to Bog Walk, Linstead, and Ewarton, where similar challenges exist.

“Students from the rural areas often come to the business centres where there are stores or plazas… . This is where they hang out, so we’re going to be targeting these areas,” he pointed out.

Constable Robinson is encouraging other divisions within the JCF to adopt and replicate the initiative islandwide. “Teamwork makes the dream work. Together, we can do this because if it’s a one-off thing being done in one section, then it’s not going to be as effective as we want it to be,” he contended.

Sub-Officer in charge of the St Catherine North CSSB and Communication Liaison for the Division, Sergeant Kester Fennel, said the programme was launched at the start of the new school year to promote positive behaviour change among students.

“We wanted to kick-start the new school year with that difference… . So far, we have been maintaining it on a daily basis, where our team of school resource officers go out in the mornings to get the students off the street,” he told JIS News.

Sergeant Fennel said that the initiative has already yielded noticeable results.

“We believe it has been impactful, so far, because what we’re seeing is that the gatherings are much smaller. By the time they see the police coming, everybody gets moving,” he pointed out.

While the operation is currently carried out in the mornings, Sergeant Fennel said there are plans to extend it to the afternoons.

“It’s not that we’re neglecting the afternoon segment. Currently, we just don’t have the resources to manage both… so we’re focusing on the primary area of getting them into the classrooms,” he said.

He added that the initiative has received strong support from both parents and the wider public.

Sergeant Fennel emphasised that the initiative aligns with the JCF’s broader strategy to tackle crime through prevention and community engagement.

“In trying to tackle crime, we have to be proactive; we don’t want to wait until something happens to one of those students out on the street,” he pointed out.

He encouraged students to value their education and make the most of their school time.

“Despite what they might be seeing in social media or hearing in some of the songs they are listening to, education is the key,” he underscored.

- JIS News

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