Kingston Western Police 'bringing back the love'
Published:Wednesday | July 13, 2016 | 12:00 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston
The West Kingston Police Division is going beyond the norm of policing and using social means to solve the problem of crime in that region.
Through a series of events aimed at uniting the various communities in the division under the theme Bring Back the Love, it is hoped that it will make a difference.
Among the events hosted by the team were a cookout and after-work party; a corner league competition; and an annual summer camp, which will be coming up in August.
Last week, the team joined forces with Church on the Rock as well as pastors within Kingston for a gospel concert on Spanish Town Road.
Superintendent Howard Chambers of the division, in a one-on-one with Family and Religion, expressed his heartfelt thanks to stakeholders Comet II, Insports, Orion Insurance Brokers, and the Social Development Commission for their support. However, he added that the challenges are still many and they are in dire need of more sponsorship.
"The mindset behind 'Bring Back The Love' is all about getting the people of Kingston west to break down all borders and come together and live as one. With the football competitions, you have youth saying 'a the first they ever been to the complex'. That is to show how the border line affects the youth and people of the community," he said, expressing satisfaction with the results they are reaping from the series.
It is for this reason he is seeking continued support so that it can have a positive impact on lives.
According to Chambers, it is rewarding when he can witness young people from warring communities meet on common ground in civility and harmony.
"The Bring Back The Love theme will be a recurring one throughout all the activities in the division," he said.
He also shared that a series of gospel concerts are being held under the patronage of Commissioner of Police Dr Carl Williams.
Come August 14-27, 100 children from the surrounding communities will be hosted at Camp Verley in St Catherine for two weeks of summer camp.
"Embedded in the camp is a parenting seminar and behaviour-modification programme," Chambers said.
According to the superintendent, in spite of the many challenges, the Kingston West Division is working hard to ensure that they continue to have a positive impact on lives.
Acknowledging that it is a lot of hard work to pull a community together, Chambers said the benefits to both the communities and, ultimately, the country, are tremendous.
Of the outreach that started in Rose Town in April, but has now spread to other areas, Chambers said if he had his way, it would go even further afield.