JPS disconnects Crime Stop partnership

The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has decided to terminate its partnership with Crime Stop, after it was deemed that the partnership was not working.

The partnership allowed persons to report the theft of electricity from business places.

JPS' director of communications, Winsome Callum, told THE WEEKEND STAR that while the initiative has got generally positive responses from the public, the results in terms of loss recovery have not justified the financial investment in the programme.

The split with Crime Stop ends a three-year relationship between the two organisations. However Callum explained that JPS still has other partnerships in place to help reduce electricity theft.

Manager at National Crime Prevention Fund (Crime Stop), Prudence Gentles, expressed regret at the termination.

ARRESTS MADE

With the help of Crime Stop, Gentles said 56 illegal connections were severed and 24 arrests were made from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, nine persons were arrested but this year has seen none.

Meanwhile, Callum said JPS will continue to focus on getting greater results.

"JPS has been able to maintain a downward losses trend for every month since the start of 2017. This has not happened in a number of years," Callum said.

Between January and June 2017, the company removed over 109,000 illegal connections, audited more than 1,700 meters, facilitated the arrest of 196 persons and issued 53 court summonses.