Commissioner bats for community policing

With the latest Periodic Serious and Violent Crime Review's bulletin showing a marked increase in serious crimes, Commissioner of Police, Dr Carl Williams, is batting for an inclusion of community policing to tame the crime monster.

The commissioner, who was speaking at Custos William Shagoury's Christmas' kiddies treat in Mocho, Clarendon, in defining the concept, says community policing is simply any positive interaction between community and the security forces.

"This is community policing at work here (Mocho). This is what will win the hearts and minds of the people for us to have a safe, prosperous country," the police commissioner said.

"The happiness we afforded these kids here today will imprint on their

impressionable mind for a lifetime, and will undoubtedly translate into positive outlook on the security force, and

subsequently, the rule of law."

Williams also called for stakeholders to come onboard and support the security forces in its Herculean task of making the country safe.

"This is an open invitation to come onboard and share this common objective of returning Jamaica to a safe place," the police commissioner said.

The commissioner's assertions were also shared by the head of the Clarendon crime prevention committee, Custos William Shagoury, and the sub-officer in charge of the Mocho police division, Sergeant Dare Powell.

According to Custos Shagoury, sponsoring the Christmas treats over the last nine years isn't only to fIte the children in the parish, but to get communities to buy into the concept of community policing.

"police can't do it (fighting crime) alone; it requires community participation. And from the perspective of the crime prevention committee, the annual treats allow for this police and community participation," asserted the Custos.