Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Dr. Horace Chang is calling on newly graduated police officers to view themselves as architects of Jamaica’s future.
Minister Chang delivered the keynote address at the Passing Out Parade and Award Ceremony at the National Police College of Jamaica, Twickenham Park, St. Catherine on Friday, September 29, 2023.
He urged the 257 constables to use their roles as police officers to advance the cause of nation-building.
The Minister added that evolving and emerging issues undermine the development of the Jamaican society, impede economic growth, and cause harm to innocent bystanders.
“It is in this context that your service takes on heightened significance,” the Minister noted.
These challenges, he said, demand unwavering commitment to save lives, protect communities and enforce the laws of Jamaica without fear or favour.
The Minister told the graduates: “Your generation stands at the forefront of a new era in policing—one driven by technology, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to justice and security”.
The Security Minister further urged just-graduated police personnel to embrace their roles as torchbearers who will take the police Force forward and be the bridge between tradition and transformation and between today's challenges and tomorrow's opportunities.
He added that in the face of gang violence and other societal threats, the young officers have the power to make a difference.
He mentioned that the government has firmly established policing as a priority, both in terms of the budget and policy and has made noteworthy improvements including but not limited to the modernization of working conditions of police officers to ensure comfortable, professional and confidential work spaces.
Minister Chang revealed that since 2016, just over one thousand three hundred (1,300) fit-for-purpose motor vehicles have been handed over to the JCF. These include SUVs, cars, pickups and motorcycles at a cost of just under J$4.2 billion.
“During this budget year, we will purchase additional vehicles to further strengthen police efficiency and responsiveness,” Minister Chang said.
He further pointed out that major technological upgrades and digitization of the Force are ongoing through the Security Strengthening Project (SSP) and the development of the Technology Branch within the JCF.
“Your decision to serve and protect is not just a career choice or a job. It is a mission to safeguard our society's foundations,” Minister Chang stated.
Photos
View album in the Gallery →