Police force gets 80 new bikes

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has received an additional 80 new bikes, valued $100 million.These are expected to significantly bolster the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch’s (PSTEB) operations, as the JCF heightens its thrust to curtail indiscipline on the roads.

The bikes, which will be deployed at stations islandwide, are to be used in hotspots and town centres across parishes.

National Security Minister Horace Chang formally handed over the bikes to Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson on Friday.

The presentation was made during a ceremony at the Office of the Police Commissioner in Kingston.

Chang, in his remarks, said the procurement of the bikes was critical to broader work being undertaken by the JCF to secure Jamaica and ensure public safety.

He said that the Government recognises that the resources of the police have deteriorated over time, and is taking a systematic and pragmatic approach to re-equipping and restructuring the JCF.

“The expectation is that within the next two years, we would have concluded the rehabilitation of all 186 police stations, built some additional ones, knocked down some old ones, and provided the police with a quality, reliable fleet of vehicles, including these 80 bikes and additional motor vehicles of different types, which are required to execute their duties across the island,” the minister stated.

Fleet management system

Chang also said that a fleet-management system had been developed to provide greater transparency in the procurement and maintenance of the vehicles.In his remarks, Anderson said the bikes would go a far way in boosting the work of the PSTEB as it focuses on helping to reduce road accidents and deaths.

“This is something that we are paying particular attention to, and for the last part of the year, both, through enforcement strategies and our presence, we are hoping to get a reduction,” he said.