Cops bring holiday cheer to the homeless

A team of police personnel and charitable assistants brought holiday cheer to the homeless in Kingston and Spanish Town, delivering warm meals to the needy on Christmas Day.

Led by Detective Constable O’Keefe Robinson and Constable Lushane Thompson, the cops and their handy helpers started cooking from the crack of dawn before fanning out to the city’s downtown region and the St Catherine capital.

The charity initiative was funded by revenues from private businesses run by the policemen, as well as contributions from well-wishers. Robinson operates an air-conditioning and refrigeration outfit while Thompson runs the Sizzling Dad porridge station.

The group had initially planned to donate meals to the Spanish Town Infirmary, but those ambitions were scuttled by coronavirus containment measures which have limited public access to elder-care homes.

On Adelaide Street in Spanish Town, the Christmas Day surprise sparked rapturous joy among street people, some of whom danced with elation.

Community volunteer Omar Wright, who has assisted as a traffic warden in the vicinity of the St Jago High School, praised the police for treating the destitute with humanity.

“It’s a great feeling to see that busy persons can set aside time and come here to hand out gifts. This is Christmas, and one which is very special, as many persons are not around due to COVID-19. Therefore, I am very thankful,” Wright said.

GRATEFUL

Elizabeth Brown, one of the first persons on hand to receive food in Spanish Town, was grateful for the gesture.

“This is wonderful, and I want to say happy Christmas to the team here and hope that God continues to bless them that they can treat the less fortunate,” she said.

Robinson, who works out of the Scene of Crime Unit in St Catherine, said that he had often seen homeless persons gather at the National Insurance Scheme office in the Old Capital and was touched by their despair.

“We feel that coming here to the streets is a very fulfilling accomplishment. We, as police personnel, have seen the struggles of persons on the streets. Therefore, coming to feed these people, especially on Christmas, feels great,” Robinson told The Gleaner.

“... Convincing the crew to be here was easy. I know that my colleagues are good, caring individuals and it has been warm and rewarding for all,” the 29-year-old, with 10 years of service in the force, added.

Constable Lemenisha Scott, from Constant Spring, said the group fed about 180 individuals. “We’ll be doing it all over once duty calls,” she said.

That mandate appears to have tugged at the heartstrings of Robinson, who said he was committed to hosting the activity on a quarterly basis. The next cook-up is scheduled for March.

Despite the temporary reprieve, many of the street persons remain in dire need for assistance. Their condition caused Norris Brown to appeal to individuals and businesses to assist with welfare programmes.

“Dem need help, as it’s the road dem sleep and left to the mercy of nature and man-made problems,” Brown said.