Notwithstanding Jamaica’s Government investing billions in procuring service vehicles over the past several years, the Frankfield police station in Clarendon operates without a service vehicle. As a result, according to reports, officers often use taxicabs’ services to respond to emergencies.
Deputy Mayor of Clarendon and councilor for the Frankfield political division Clive Mundle argued that it was not practical or safe for police personnel to travel by taxi after receiving distress calls. He said the Frankfield division has approximately 68 communities.
Speaking at Clarendon Municipal Corporation’s monthly sitting on Thursday, February 9, 2023, Mundle said:
The same taxi man that you give a ticket, how do you treat that when you have to call them when you get a call, or you have to wait on the jeep from Chapelton or the jeep from May Pen to come up?”
Clive Mundle, Councilor for Frankfield
“If we are serious about fighting crime, we need to give the police the tools they need to fight crime.
Superintendent Carlos Russell, head of the Clarendon police, has acknowledged the problem. However, he also indicated that the vehicle woes were not common to Frankfield. He said the Hayes Police Station is also without a vehicle. And according to reports, Longville park police station also has vehicle troubles.
We are having some issues with transportation in Clarendon. I know the Frankfield unit has been down for about two months now. We have been trying to get it rectified. It has been sent to the transport and repairs department and back, and it still has the same problem,” Russell informed the councilors.
Carlos Russell, Superintendent in charge of Clarendon
“I was told it was an electrical problem. Now I’m hearing that it can be a transmission problem,” said Russell.
Russell said the mobility issues were multiplied by the age of the fleet. He said some vehicles break down within a day of being repaired.
Still, amid the service vehicle woes of the JCF, the Holness administration continues to boast of its unprecedented capital expenditure on national security, including significant vehicle purchases from 2016-2017.
“These vehicles are outfitted with the full suite of modern policing equipment and systems, which has never been done before in the history of the JCF. Since that time, 1,368 vehicles have been procured at approximately J$4.3 billion, including more than 150 bikes for the Quick Response teams.
National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang said in an op-ed published in
The Sunday Gleaner of January 22, 2023
If the PM and the Security Minister took a trip down to the Frankfield police station, they would see policemen hailing taxis after an emergency call.
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