Of this number, 500 were taken from administrative duties.

Apart from regular front-line duties, some of the policemen and women are to take part in traffic management, beat and foot patrols and man plazas and other commercial districts.

While going about their Christmas shopping in busy areas, such as downtown Kingston, Half-Way Tree, Constant Spring and Manor Park in St Andrew, and Spanish Town, St Catherine, citizens should notice a significant boost in the number of police personnel patrolling the streets.

Safer for shoppers

Yesterday, when a Gleaner team visited the downtown Kingston shopping district, one of the busiest town centres during the festive season, police personnel were out in their numbers patrolling the streets.

"Mi nuh feel dat fraid wen mi see the officer dem out here still, but mi try be as careful with de likkle money," one woman told The Gleaner.

The woman, who gave her name only as June, said she could not afford to get robbed of the money she had because it was to buy food and home decorations.

"Mi try stay inna de area weh mi see de officer dem. Mi try nuh fi stray too far," she added.