St Catherine cops to continue work with ‘troubled’ schools

With the resumption of face-to-face schooling for the first time in nearly two years, the St Catherine South police are promising to maintain a calming presence.

''The police will be working with the deans of discipline in the high schools to address indiscipline problems at the usually troubled schools,'' Superintendent Hopeton Nicholson said. ''We will be working with the schools to make them as safe as possible for students, visitors and teachers alike." Yesterday, police personnel within the division utilised a softer approach in engaging students, teachers and residents, even in areas which are deemed to be troubled spots. The news team was told that about 70 to 90 per cent of students returned to the classrooms.

Nicholson said the objective of the police is to let the teachers, students and residents realise that the presence of the lawmen covers more than just enforcement of law, but they also want to help and encourage the youth to be good citizens. He said that as part of the safe schools programme, members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force will continue to work inside the selected institutions to boost the discipline and security.

''Police personnel from the Community Safety and Security Branch are dispatched to these schools which have social problems. The team works in tandem with the deans of discipline to assist with the smooth running of the selected schools,'' he said.

When the team visited the troubled Windsor Heights and China Town areas of Central Village, the police encouraged students and teachers with the reassurance of their commitment to serve.

However, Winston Smith, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, said that more thinking should have been done regarding the reopening of school.

''There is a furniture problem which has been exacerbated during the pandemic with termite infestation. Therefore while it [social distancing rules] is relaxed to three feet, there is still a furniture shortage,'' he said.