Portland honours three policemen
Published:Tuesday | March 21, 2017 | 12:21 PMGareth Davis
HOPE BAY, Portland:
It is not very often that law enforcement officers are recognised for their hard work. However, residents and church members took time out to show appreciation to three policemen during a special church service, held recently in Hope Bay, Portland. The three Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) members, Inspector Julio Francis and constables Daniel Desgouttes and Derron Bemridge have served a combined 47 years, with the former climbing up the ranks in an impressive fashion to a distinctive senior officer position.
"These officers have served the community of Hope Bay with distinction," said Pearl Jones, pastor of the New Testament Assembly in the community.
"In a bid to ensure that law and order is maintained, while ensuring the streets are safe for us and our children, these hardworking policemen, Desgouttes and Bemridge, have issued hundreds of traffic tickets to members of the public who have violated various aspects of the road traffic law. They have also arrested varying number of persons who have committed various crimes.
High professionalism
These two men have displayed the highest level of professionalism, and their discipline is unquestionable. Their attitude towards their job is admirable, and they are quite deserving of the awards that they are receiving," she added.
Francis, who joined the JCF in 1999, is sub-officer in charge of the Hope Bay police division- representing Portland on three occasions in the Lasco Top Cop Competition, while placing third in the national finals in 2007.
"He holds the distinction of being a hard-working and committed policeman," said Oneil Thompson, deputy superintendent of police in charge of operations in the Portland division.
Added Thompson: "Francis has devoted his life in serving others, and having started out as a constable, he has risen to several ranks in the JCF, including corporal in July 2007, Sergeant in 2011, and then to inspector in May 2015. He has also moved up the ranks in academia, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology... ."