Update | Disgruntled St Andrew South cops end sickout

Head of the St Andrew South police division, Senior Superintendent Kirk Ricketts, says normal operations are expected to resume tomorrow after disgruntled cops today staged a sickout.

Several police personnel did not turn up for duties this morning to protest working conditions. 

Ricketts says the issues that led to today's action were discussed at a meeting and a resolution was found.

“I held a meeting with the affected team and during that meeting, we would have addressed some issues that they brought to the fore and we have agreed on a way forward so normality is generally restored,” he said. 

“I do expect the team to be back on the job tomorrow morning,” he added. 

According to Ricketts, operations in the police division were not significantly affected by the sickout. 

“This unit is extremely important but we've already filled the gap with our internal assets that we have as well as the external support that we normally get on a day-to-day basis. We have not in any way reduced the output that we normally do on a daily basis,” he asserted. 

Earlier today, Chairman of the Jamaica Police Federation, Corporal Rohan James, said cops were protesting the duty detailing and the level of "unprofessional conduct and disrespectful behaviour that they believe is being administered to them."

The federation represents rank and file members of the constabulary force.

- Sashana Small 

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