Disquiet among JCF trainees over COVID-19 vaccination

There is new disquiet in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) as trainees at the National Police College of Jamaica are reportedly being forced to get vaccinated against COVID-19 or be dismissed.

And a well-placed source indicated that police instructors at the academy are also being asked to get vaccinated and face being transferred.

A notice, a copy of which was obtained by The Gleaner, was issued to trainees for them to indicate by today whether they will take the vaccine at the next police vaccination drive or state reasons for not wanting the jab.

It was indicated that at the JCF will host its next event on May 28 at the Police Officers' Club in St Andrew.

The notice highlighted that the assistant commissioner of police in charge of training has issued new directives in light of new developments concerning the current COVID-19 realities.

The directives were however not outlined.

The Gleaner contacted the chairman of the Police Federation, Corporal Rohan James, who confirmed that the notice was dispatched to the trainees but declined to comment further on the issue before discussing it with the organisation's executive.

When contacted, senior communications strategist with the JCF Dennis Brooks said that the notice is an internal memo that is being circulated by the training college and was not a directive from the constabulary force.

Brooks stated that the memo was sent in light of a series of virus outbreaks at the training facility.

He noted that a batch of trainees is currently in quarantine at the college and another at Harman Barracks where training has been halted.

"We are likely to see training having to pause for five weeks, six weeks intervals because of the fact that the virus is in the community spread phase and the result is that the communication was from the training department which was seeking to learn from the recruits if they would be willing to take the vaccine on this particular day because we have identified that we have this problem of persons getting infected with COVID and there is a vaccine but there is relatively no take-up," he explained.

As a result, he said the training college is seeking answers to determine the way forward and to craft an appropriate approach as the JCF needs to meet its annual training target.

Brooks dismissed reports that the trainees and instructors were threatened with dismissals over COVID-19 vaccination.

Earlier this month, there was disquiet among rank and file cops in the JCF following a similar move where the force had asked those who were participating in a promotion programme to get vaccinated.

It was also alleged then that the cops were told that they would be replaced if they did not comply.

Brooks, at that time, said the claim was an unfortunate interpretation of an internal memo and that the Medical Services Branch of the force had recommended that participants of that particular programme get vaccinated because it has a component where they will be in close contact with each other.

READ: JCF denies claim cops must take COVID vaccine to be promoted

Members of the JCF are among frontline workers being offered vaccines under Jamaica's vaccination programme, which kicked off in March.

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