A VICTIM Support Unit is to be established at the Duhaney Park Police Station in St. Andrew to provide counselling and other services to victims of crime in that community and its environs.
Beginning this month, counsellors from the Victim Support Unit of the Ministry of National Security, will be on site on second Mondays and fourth Saturdays between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The officers will provide counselling for persons who have been traumatised by various forms of crime including rape and robbery. It will also cater to relatives of victims who have been murdered.
Superintendent Claude Samuels, Head of the South St. Andrew division, announced this initiative at a community meeting, which was held on February 27 on the premises of the Duhaney Park Police Station.
The Superintendent said the Duhaney Park Police Station would be used as a pilot project for setting up other units in the South St. Andrew Division.
Annette Richards, Parish Co-ordinator for the Victim Support Unit assured the residents that counselling would be done in an atmosphere of confidentiality.
Superintendent Samuels also used the opportunity to promote community based policing, which he said was intended to change the approach of policing people.
Noting that the initiative was not new, the Superintendent observed that the partnership that existed between the police and communities was weakening. He said concerted efforts were being made to rebuild the partnership around honesty, integrity, professionalism and transparency.
Superintendent Samuels told a group of about 100 residents from Maverley, Drewsland, Patrick City and Duhaney Park, that they should meet the police half way by giving them feedback on their work as well as unlawful activities that are taking place in these communities.
He chided hardworking citizens, who, out of fear, allowed criminal elements to chase them out of their communities. In a strong statement indicating his willingness to partner with communities and his unwillingness to tolerate any form of criminal behaviour, Superintendent Samuels said, "I extend an invitation to law-abiding citizens to put forth your good hands, but I call upon the gunmen to 'watch it'!"
This sentiment was supported by Acting Commissioner Tilford Johnson, who asserted that criminal elements who were agitating to return to communities where curfews have been imposed had to wait a while longer. He stressed that the Jamaica Constabulary Force would not allow the gains that have been made since the introduction of the anti-crime initiative to be destroyed.
Since December 1, joint military and constabulary operations have been posted in Payne Land and West Kingston. This has resulted in a significant reduction of crime in these areas. Residents from the communities have also reported that they are now able to go about their business without fear of being targeted by criminals.
The community meeting at Duhaney Park culminated a series of four that was held in South St. Andrew to foster greater partnership between the police and residents.
Other meetings were held in Payne Land, Olympic Gardens and Seaview Gardens. Approximately 500 residents participated.
The meetings were organised by the Jamaica Information Service in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
