New police station for Longville Park, Clarendon
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Residents of Longville Park in Clarendon can now feel safer with the official opening of a police station on Friday by Prime Minister, Andrew Holness.
The project was undertaken by the National Housing Trust (NHT), at a cost of $98 million.
In his address, the Prime Minister emphasized that the mandate of the NHT not only speaks to the building of houses, but also to the holistic development of communities.He emphasised that integral to community development is security, and areas “cannot develop, grow or sustain themselves if security is absent.”The prime minister said that with some 5,000 housing solutions, it is necessary to provide the police station to protect the citizens of Longville Park from a small segment of the society that exhibits deviant behaviour, and that the area can become a model community.Holness indicated that with the new police station, residents will be able to enjoy a higher quality of life in their homes.He endorsed the move by the NHT to “assist communities in realising their dream of security.”
In his remarks, Chairman of the NHT, Ambassador Dr Nigel Clarke, said that one of the important services that can be provided to people is security, arguing that without it freedom is not guaranteed.“We at the NHT implore you (residents) to love the police, who will serve you faithfully,” he said.
Meanwhile, National Security Minister, Robert Montague, said that provision of the police station falls within one of the five pillars of the Strategic Crime Plan, which is situation prevention.“Part of the objective in that pillar is that when we have large new communities of 400 units and over, space is made for a police post and a closed-circuit television system to enhance the citizens’ security,” he pointed out.Outlining situation prevention during his 2017/18 sectoral debate presentation in the House of Representatives recently, Montague said that properly structured communities are necessary in the fight against crime.Commanding Officer of Area Three, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Donovan Graham, said the police will ensure that the station “is kept and maintained to the best of their abilities” and that all defects will be promptly reported.He thanked the NHT and other stakeholders for their contribution in the building of the station.
The senior policeman said that with the new station and increased resources, there will be an impact on the reduction of petty crimes within the community.