BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — Safety and security in this south-central parish is being boosted courtesy of the efficiency and quick response of the police by way of technological assistance through the Government’s JamaicaEye initiative.

Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang said St Elizabeth is also set to benefit from improved infrastructure with the construction of a $200-million new Lacovia police station, which is to start this year.

Speaking to the media following a tour of Junction, Santa Cruz, Lacovia and Black River police stations on Thursday, Dr Chang pledged the Government’s support in bolstering the operations of the police in St Elizabeth.

“[We] wanted to see first-hand what is happening in St Elizabeth, because we have done some things here in terms of public safety [investment] to strengthen the police force and it was necessary to take a look at what is happening,” he said.

He said following his visit three years ago to the Black River Police Station, JamaicaEye, which is closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme, is functional in major towns.

“We have started. It is not quite complete, but it is now operational in both Santa Cruz and Black River… It was installed as a project now the police have to take charge and ensure that it is [operational],” he explained.

He said the new Lacovia Police Station has been on the agenda for a while.

“We are looking at the quality of the facilities that the police have. We will be putting in a new police station in the Lacovia area, it will cover the cost of about $175 to $200 million to develop the site. It has been on the map for some time. I expect it to start this year,” he said.

— Kasey Williams