Cops jazz it up at the Blue Beat Bar
Karrie Williams, Gleaner Writer
On Wednesday night, the St James Police Civic Committee (PCC) launched its third annual police ball at the Blue Beat Jazz Bar in Montego Bay.
Chaired by The Gleaner's own Janet Silvera, the launch was attended by a number of well-known Montego Bay businessmen and women out to show their support for the St James PCC, the only one of its kind in the island.
Proven Wealth, who was the event's main sponsor last year, are again on-board for the event slated for October 26 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.
''The Police Civic Committee has made an invaluable contribution to the community and Proven Wealth
Assistant commissioner of police in charge of Area One, Warren Clarke, said that he was very pleased with the efforts of the committee, as they have made the working environment of policemen and women throughout the parish much more comfortable and, as such, citizens of the parish can also expect a greater output from the police.
''My colleagues in Jamaica are very jealous of the support that we receive here in St James, and the more comfortable the police is, the higher the level of service that will be delivered,'' he promised.
Member of parliament for St James Central, Lloyd B. Smith, who was the evening's keynote speaker, expressed his appreciation to the committee, noting that Montego Bay was very fortunate to be blessed with such an organisation.
''Our relationship with the police has changed and I do believe the PCC is playing a very pivotal role in that regard, to humanise the police … . We need to make Jamaica a better place where everyone can be happy and safe and our men and women in uniform carry out that task on a daily basis.''
This year's staging of the ball will have 25 police officers from Detroit in the United States in attendance; and Ambassador Curtis Ward, Jamaica's former ambassador to the United Nations, will serve as the ball's guest speaker.