PM charges JCF to review protocols for handling injured and deceased persons

Prime Minister, Dr Andrew Holness, has charged the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to examine and review its protocols for assisting the injured and removing deceased individuals from crime scenes.

He said that the matter will be discussed at the National Security Council, which is the principal forum used by the Government to deliberate on national security and public safety.

“If necessary, protocols have to be established about how you remove the deceased from crime scenes or assist injured persons. These are matters that have to be looked into,” the Prime Minister said.

“We’re trying to build an economy; we are trying to build a society, but more importantly, we are building a civilisation. How we treat our injured, our most vulnerable, weakest amongst us, how we treat the remains of the deceased tells us a lot about the kind of civilisation we have,” he added, noting that the transformation of the force must include stronger standards of professionalism, compassion and public accountability.

The Prime Minister was delivering the keynote address at the 91st Cohort graduation exercise for the JCF Staff and Junior Command Course, at the National Police College of Jamaica (NPCJ) in Twickenham Park, St Catherine, on May 22.

He congratulated the graduates on successfully completing the course, and urged them to remain committed to professionalism, perseverance and service to the Jamaican people.

Commending the JCF for the continued reduction in murders and violence across the country, he reminded the officers that their primary responsibility is to preserve and protect life and to treat citizens with respect.

The Prime Minister highlighted the expanding regional role of the JCF, noting that officers are now supporting their Caribbean neighbours in law-enforcement operations, particularly in tackling transnational organised crime.

He referenced a recent visit to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), where Jamaican officers were praised for their contribution to improving security conditions in the country, boosting investor confidence and strengthening sectors such as tourism, health and lifestyle development.

He said that Jamaica has developed systems, practices and strategies in crime fighting that can now be shared with other jurisdictions facing similar challenges.

The Prime Minister noted that Jamaica’s significant investment in national security is closely tied to economic growth and national development.

He told the officers that sustainable security creates the environment needed for investment and job creation, which, ultimately, allows the Government to improve wages and living standards.

- JIS News

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