Young sergeant making strides - Mulgrave hopes to change face of JCF
Published:Saturday | May 14, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Jermaine Francis, Gleaner Writer
MAY PEN, Clarendon:
SEVERAL PERSONS in the Jamaican society harbour negative opinions about members of our security forces, especially those members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
But despite this negative opinion, most of the men and women who vow to serve and protect take their oath seriously, and are working assiduously to help stem the plague of crime and violence that currently exists in Jamaica.
Twenty-six-year-old Odale Mulgrave is one of these members who is playing his part in fighting crime and violence. Mulgrave, who hails from the community of New Forrest in the southern section of Manchester, believes that the authorities should not wait until young men become hardened criminals before attempts are made to apply crime-fighting strategies.
To this extent, the young police sergeant has embarked on a project in the parish of Clarendon - where he currently works as the subofficer in charge of the Clarendon Community Safety and Security Branch that targets at-risk youth in various communities and schools and help steer them away from gang activities.
In April, the Gang Reduction and Prevention Education (GRAPE) initiative was officially launched under the theme 'Educating Youth Today to Become the Men of Tomorrow'.
GRAPE good idea
So good is the idea of GRAPE that several other police divisions are now looking to replicate it in their respective areas.
Mulgrave says he is very passionate about the project and came up with the idea for GRAPE after he attended the 'Preventing Crime in Black Communities Conference' held in Orlando, Florida, in 2007. He came back to Jamaica with the idea to use targeted and proven education practices that could work to suppress and dismantle gangs in schools and communities.
But with several members of the force complaining about long working hours, bad working conditions and low salary, it is interesting to see this young man, who was recently named the LASCO/Jamaica Constabulary Force 1st runner-up police officer for the year 2010-2011, work at something that he strongly believes in and thinks will make an impact on the reduction of crime in Clarendon.
In addition to seeing to the success of this project, Mulgrave, who has a Bachelor of Science in social work, is currently working on his Master of Science in government with emphasis in public-sector management.
He said his interest in social work developed when he worked in the Lionel Town Police Division in Clarendon and had to work closely with the police youth clubs and other community-based organisations.
Felt good to help
"Working with these young people, I wasn't just being a professional because I was about the same age as most of them. So it felt good helping them and seeing some of these young men finding jobs," Mulgrave said.
"Even when I was leaving the community to work here, the residents there blocked the road. So because of that experience, I decided that social work would be a good area for me to go in so that I could really make a difference in the lives of others," he continued.
Some might say that he is an overachiever, but for the former youth ambassador to the United Nations, it is all natural for him to accomplish all that he has so far.
He said he is aware of his capabilities and what he can accomplish if he puts his mind to it and that along with the people around him are what drives him to succeed.
"I am driven by people, by my own desire to succeed and coming from a rural community, I want to do great things. I am driven by others that I have seen who work hard and are successful and also my Christian background," Mulgrave shared.
Mulgrave notes that there is corruption in the force, but he has always spoke out against it and will always assist in tackling the issue to rid the force of it.
"Corruption is not only robbing the person who is directly involved, it is robbing us as a nation and if we don't erase minor incidents of corruption, then it will soon transition in different areas and pose even greater problems," stated Mulgrave.
His supervisor at the May Pen Police Station, Senior Superintendent Dathan Henry, says Mulgrave is a very diligent, meticulous and creative young man who he believes will do great things. In fact, Henry says he believes in the near future, Mulgrave will be at the helm of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.