Horace Chang | Government tangibly investing in national security

A fundamental tenet of every investment is that it should be based on robust data, a structured plan, and rigorous economic evaluation, which is crucial in the realm of national security. In this context, strategic planning provides a blueprint that not only delineates immediate priorities, but also outlines the direct impact anticipated from every facet of the investment.

There is an ongoing discourse by some surrounding a perceived investment disparity between the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). For the most part, this narrative, which alleges a bias towards the JDF, is both superficial and uninformed. I will, therefore, set out the facts to correct any misconception about this issue.

COMMITMENT TO STRATEGIC PLANNING

It is true that in the early years, there was a spike in capital outlay to the JDF for the fiscal years 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. This can be attributed to the JDF’s longstanding commitment to a comprehensive strategic plan geared at its development. The objective of this plan has consistently been to enable the JDF to make a significant contribution to territorial control and effective domain awareness, which are crucial to our national security and economic development.

The Government’s ability to swiftly allocate funds and execute expenditure for the JDF was facilitated by the existence of a structured plan. The inherently efficient procurement processes within the JDF, as opposed to other areas of government, further expedited this allocation and spending. In the fiscal realm, committing significant financial resources to any system without a structured short, medium, and long term plan is just not feasible. No such programme of planning existed for the JCF even during the time when some of the most vocal critics on this issue were a part of the hierarchy of the police force.

Consequently, in the early stages, the Government found itself compelled to respond to a number of acute measures within the police force. Additionally, the police were provided with strong legislation, such as the state of public emergency, to give them some additional powers in order to execute their jobs effectively in light of their limited resources.

Naturally, development in such instance becomes reactive. We set about to put in place a structured, data-driven response for comprehensive investment and transformation in the police force. This was based on three strategic objectives 1) strengthening the force’s capacity; 2) improving the legislative framework for law enforcement; and 3) adopting a comprehensive, holistic approach to social investment.

OVERHAUL OF POLICE INFRASTRUCTURE

To embark on major investments, the process involves a comprehensive review, thorough assessment, and the formulation of a detailed programme of work. A typical illustration of this approach was with police facilities, which were in deplorable conditions and inadequately designed.

Our initiative involved engaging a qualified engineer to conduct an impartial examination of all these facilities, devoid of any political influence or consideration. The engineer undertook a comprehensive journey across the island, evaluating each building and categorising them into three tiers: ‘Tier 1’ signifying structures in need of minor repairs and maintenance activities; ‘Tier 2’ representing those requiring major repairs, expansion, or rehabilitation; and ‘Tier 3’ designating buildings as irreparable and slated for demolition.

All 213 police facilities were assessed, 42 were classified as Tier 1, 150 as Tier 2, and 21 as Tier 3. Notably, only one Tier 3 facility, Amity Hall station in St James, remains standing and is currently going through the pre-construction phase. All other Tier 3 facilities have been successfully demolished and are now in various stages of reconstruction. To date, our efforts have resulted in the completion of over 200 projects on police facilities. Among these, are 11 fit-for-purpose police stations, either newly constructed or extensively renovated, with embedded design features such as office spaces, proper reception areas, and private interview rooms.

Five fit-for-purpose police stations are currently under construction, namely: Frome, Little London, Stony Hill, Anchovy, and Lacovia. In addition, the establishment of the new Hopewell Police Station in Hanover is currently under way and will be opened very soon. This is as an improvement in the working conditions of police officers and the delivery of quality policing services. In the process, of course, we have laid out a design for police stations for the first time in the force’s history – all new constructions are now characterised by standardised design features based on size and service-demand levels.

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

The implementation of the major construction projects had to fit in the Government’s fiscal space, which was impaired by three fiscal years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these constraints, work is now proceeding. Major procurements and civil structures for the police continue to follow the normal procurement process. Consequently, the replacement of the divisional headquarters in St Catherine North and Westmoreland has proceeded for over four years. However, groundbreaking for the start of construction is set to commence this year – a combined investment of nearly J$5 billion.

Procurement for the Specialised Operations West facility in Montego Bay is far advanced. It entails an additional J$6.5 billion investment. This facility will not only help to improve the crime-fighting capacity in Area 1, but also contribute to the overall economic expansion in western Jamaica. Simultaneously, it will lead to significant savings in terms of accommodation costs for police officers on detached duties in the western parishes. The development of Kingston Metropolitan Region Headquarters is now progressing, after taking some time to identify a suitable facility.

This was the first major investment in police infrastructure, which was absolutely critical. In fact, every police officer will attest to that what existed before was an embarrassment to a professional body. However, this had to be done within the framework of a structured plan for investment.

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND DIGITISATION

Inadequacies in the police communication system were inherited and have been present during the time when several of the current critics were leaders of the police force. Consequently, a comprehensive evaluation, assessment, and costing were undertaken for the entire communication system. Now, we have a fully operational islandwide communication network, effectively addressing previous gaps in radio communication through the incorporation of new tower sites. The police now benefit from the integration of both P25 and microwave systems. For the first time since the 1980s, we possess a fully functional radio communication system with extensive coverage.

In addition we are currently expanding the microwave system and anticipate the successful completion of network connectivity programme by the end of next fiscal year. This will ensure that all our police stations are interconnected. While a few stations in remote locations are experiencing temporary challenges, which will be resolved soon, the main stations will be connected using either the microwave system or GovNet. This comprehensive digitisation initiative encompasses the installation of computers in police stations, implementation of electronic ticketing, and the establishment of case management, asset management, and workforce management systems.

Some of the critics did not make any plan to correct some of these problems during their time in the police hierarchy, neither in terms of laying the groundwork nor in execution.

Research has shown that the full digitisation of a police force can lead to significant improvement in efficiency, potentially resulting in gains of more than 30 per cent. Full return on investment from ongoing initiatives will only be fully realised when all the initiatives are completed.

HUMAN RESOURCE EXPANSION AND TRAINING

We have successfully expanded the police force to just under its establishment level, a milestone that no previous commissioners of police had pursued. Under this Government, close to 6,000 police officers have been recruited, resulting in a net gain of approximately 3,000. It is crucial to acknowledge that the expansion of the force’s numbers must be undertaken judiciously as moving at too fast a pace poses the risk of compromising the professionalism and institutional strengths within the force, which we must aim to uphold and safeguard.

Our primary objective is to address deficiencies and rectify lingering legacy issues within the police force through a comprehensive training process. Consequently, the training approach has been deliberately methodical and involves the training of subofficers to serve as instructors. Additional training facilities have also been procured and are enabling us to systematically train what is considered to be adequate numbers that are added to the force annually.

Given the influx of young officers, a parallel focus had to be placed on training the corporals and sergeants as well as the inspectors and deputy superintendents. This holistic training approach is critical as without a well-trained cadre of middle managers and supervisors, we will not achieve the desired impact from the increased numbers within the force.

I must make mention of the calm that was observed in the various business districts during the recent Christmas season. This can be attributed to increased police presence on the streets, effective supervision, and increased mobility. In other words, there is no doubt that we experienced highly effective policing across the country’s business districts throughout the past holiday season.

And so as we conclude the investment in force multiplier factors and complete the total infrastructure upgrade over the next 24 months, I am confident that we will not only achieve sustainable crime reduction, but also witness a faster rate of reduction.

It is imperative to recognise that a 60 per cent investment in security does not necessarily translate to a 60 per cent improvement in all the parameters of lawlessness given the adaptive nature of criminals. In recent times, we have witnessed shifts in the nature and character of criminal behaviour, particularly in homicides, which now involve more intra-gang conflicts, quarrels, and contract killings rather than the usual inter-gang conflicts. This, of course, necessitates an evolving and nuanced approach.

Nevertheless, our confidence remains high that as we complete the level of investment outlined above, we will deal with all aspects of the criminal behaviour, enabling us to transition towards a more rapid and sustainable reduction in criminal violence.

Dr Horace Chang is Jamaica’s deputy prime minister and minister of national security. He is member of Parliament for North West St James. Send feedback to securityminister@mns.gov.jm.