The forum is the third of its kind organised by the PCOA. A press release announcing the forum said the PCOA was using public discussion to encourage better community engagement with the police, foster and promote accountability at the community level and also inform citizens of its mandate.
"We are strongly encouraging more dialogue between the community and the police. This we believe will promote more cooperation between the two groups as they together, not only seek to prevent, but also find solutions to crime," the release quoted Gregory A Simms, acting chief executive officer, as saying.
Special appeal
Speakers at the forum include: PCOA chairman, The Most Reverend Charles Dufour, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Montego Bay, his worship, the mayor of May Pen, Councillor Milton Brown, Charles Scarlett, deputy commissioner of police and inspector general, and Dathon Henry, police chief for Clarendon.
The release went on to explain that all citizens were welcome to join the discussion, though a special appeal was being made to communities of Clarendon. The PCOA will also receive representations from the communities concerning any complaints against the police and invite comments and evaluation of the performance and delivery of service by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and its auxiliaries in the parish.
The acting chief executive officer pointed out that the forums had proven very useful in addressing some areas of concern raised by attendees.
At the previous forum held in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, in June of this year, citizens expressed the need for better customer service offered by the police. Representatives from HEART/NTA at Cullenden in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, who were in attendance, responded by offering courses in customer service training. The training will be geared in particular, to those members of the force involved in community policing.
Diverse cultures
According to Rapheletta White, acting centre manager at HEART/NTA in Cullenden, the offer was extended in order to better equip police to handle the diverse cultures they come across in depressed areas.
Officers who subsequently took part in the month-long courses were only required to pay $250 for registration, while the courses were free of cost as part of the vocational school's community service outreach programme.
The PCOA was established by an Act of Parliament in 2005 as a mechanism to support outside scrutiny and accountability of the JCF and its auxiliaries.
So far, the PCOA has hosted forums in Savanna-la-Mar, West-moreland, and Montego Bay, St James.
The authority is charged with the legal duty to monitor the implementation of policy of the JCF and its auxiliaries; monitor the standard of performance of all police throughout the island to ensure that internationally acceptable standards of policing are maintained and to report on such matters and conduct inspections of the force and the auxiliaries among other duties.