Policing with purpose

Corporal Shantel Powell of Area Five has emerged the overall winner of the LASCO/Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Saluting Our Heroes Awards, topping a field of more than 158 nominees across the police force.

Powell placed first among six finalists, followed by Corporal Rojehn Holt of Area Three in second, Sergeant Stephen Smith of Area Two in third, Corporal Monique Bartley of Area One in fourth, Detective Sergeant Chadrick Williams of Area Four in fifth, and Detective Sergeant Livey Evans, who represented a non-geographic formation.

The awards recognise officers whose work demonstrates sustained community engagement, leadership, and service beyond traditional law-enforcement duties.

Powell, who serves in the St Catherine North Community Safety and Security Unit as an assistant police youth coordinator and communications liaison officer, said the award underscored the importance of policing with purpose.

“We are not just police officers for the sake of being police officers,” Powell said. “It’s not only about enforcing the law, it’s also about empowering people to keep the law.”

LASTING IMPACT

She added that even small interventions can have lasting impact.

“If one person’s life is changed by your actions, you have already done a lot for humanity,” Powell said.

Area Five, which includes parts of St Catherine North and South Divisions, St, Thomas and St Andrew North, encompasses both urban and rural communities, requiring officers to balance crime response with sustained community engagement, an approach increasingly promoted by the JCF as a crime-prevention strategy.

Against that backdrop, Holt, who currently serves as second-in-command at the Hayes Police Station in Clarendon, said his policing philosophy centres on discipline, leadership, and community empowerment.

“My career reflects a balance of operational competence and community engagement,” Holt said. “Policing has to address both the tactical demands of the job and the strategic needs of the communities we serve.”

Holt, who joined the JCF in 2015 and was promoted to corporal in December 2024, said his leadership roles have shaped his approach to service.

“For more than six years, I have served as parade commander for the Clarendon Division,” he said. “That responsibility demands discipline, precision, and the ability to inspire others.”

YOUTH-FOCUSED INITIATIVES

He noted that community engagement has been a central part of his work, particularly through youth-focused initiatives.

“At Lionel Town, I spearheaded the revival of Police Youth Clubs in Lionel Town, Mitchell Town, and Salt River,” Holt said. “Those clubs became spaces for nurturing young leaders and building trust between the police and the public.”

Holt also highlighted his work as a community relationship officer, pointing to practical interventions aimed at crime prevention.

“I have led initiatives such as beach watches, business watch programmes, and the establishment of the Monymusk Glades Neighbourhood Watch,” he said.

Addressing his work with schools, Holt said partnerships with educational institutions were critical.

“In 2019, I worked closely with Bustamante High School to address behavioural challenges among students,” he said. “That collaboration helped to reduce altercations and expand opportunities for young people.”

Holt said his guiding philosophy has remained consistent throughout his career.

“My mantra is aspire, inspire, and motive,” he said. “It captures how I try to lead and how I serve.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake said policing in Jamaica extends beyond crime control, noting the country’s complex social history and ongoing challenges.

“Our work touches every aspect of national life, from security and stability to education, community development and social order,” the commissioner said. “It requires wisdom, empathy, and an unrelenting belief in people’s capacity to do better.”

ashanti.lawson@gleanerjm.com