St. James police get new bikes and bicycles

THE QUICK-Response Unit of the St James Police Division has been boosted with the addition of eight new motorcycles recently deployed to the parish by the Police High Command.

In addition, a bicycle patrol team will be riding out in the division by the middle of October, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Steve McGregor, who heads the St James Police Division, told The Gleaner.

McGregor said that riders are currently in training and will be absorbed into their respective units once the necessary exercises have been completed.

challenging system

Out of the eight motorcycles, two are heavy-duty bikes, which will aid in creating a more efficient traffic unit.

"We (the division) were short on bikes," said McGregor. "I am thinking that as a division, St James got the most out of the lot that the commissioner has because our traffic system in the parish is very challenging to manage."

McGregor stated that the quick-response unit would dovetail into traffic at an appropriate time and be deployed in the township.

"The bicycle patrol officers will man the Hip Strip (Gloucester Avenue) and Elegant Corridor," said the senior cop, who thanked both the tourism and business communities for their support over the past few months.

In July, nearly 200 additional police personnel were deployed to the parish by the Police High Command in a major bid to curtail crime in the division. At that time, more than 120 people were murdered in St James, the highest number of all 19 police divisions.