Super six finalists named for ‘Police of the Year’ award

LASCO, in partnership with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), has announced the six finalists for the 2025 LASCO Saluting Our Heroes ‘Police of the Year’ title. The annual award recognises exceptional service, leadership and commitment to public safety and community development across the JCF’s divisions.

The finalists are Constable Monique Bartley (Area 1), Corporal Stephen Smith (Area 2), Corporal Rojehn Holt (Area 3), Detective Corporal Chadrick Williams (Area 4), Constable Shantel Powell (Area 5), and Detective Corporal Livey Evans (non-geographical formations).

Ahead of the national announcement, the finalists participated in an effective communications skills workshop led by Paula-Anne Porter Jones, supported by LASCO’s corporate communications manager, Danielle Cunningham. The session focused on refining their presentation, poise and interpersonal communication skills, as they prepare to serve as ambassadors of transformation within the JCF.

Cunningham commended the finalists for their growth during the workshop, noting their confidence, clarity and composure.

“This year’s ‘super six’ truly impressed us with their openness and energy,” she said. “They each brought a sense of purpose to the workshop and demonstrated how storytelling and self-awareness can connect the force to the communities they serve.”

Meanwhile, Porter Jones said the workshop offered personalised training that focused on details such as pronunciation, eye contact and body language — small yet effective adjustments that can improve the officers’ impact in their respective spaces.

“This year’s staging of the workshop was a particular pleasure. We had the opportunity to speak with each finalist prior to the session, to understand their communication styles, goals and growth areas,” said Porter Jones, who heads the communication training and coaching firm Paula-Anne Porter & Associates (PAP).

Now in its 26th year, the LASCO/LCF Saluting Our Heroes Awards programme honours the nation’s most dedicated law enforcement officers who exemplify service, integrity and transformation.

The 2025 theme, ‘Transforming through PQT (people, quality and technology): Celebrating Our Heroes’, reflects the JCF’s renewed focus on modernisation, excellence and human-centered policing.

The awards programme is powered by LASCO and the LASCO Chin Foundation, whose commitment to nation-building and community uplift mirrors the JCF’s transformative goals. Through continued investment in education, leadership and social impact, the programme celebrates officers who embody the spirit of positive change within the JCF and across Jamaica.

The 2025 LASCO/LCF Saluting Our Heroes Awards ceremony, where the overall ‘Top Cop’ will be announced, is set for Friday, October 24, 2025.