Significant investment was made in acquiring technology to boost crime-fighting.
ICT
• $210 million was provided to upgrade and expand the computer-aided dispatch system to allow the police to better prioritise and record incident calls,
identify status and locations of officers and assets in the field, and effectively
deploy resources, among other inputs.
• $480 million was allocated to upgrade and expand the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF’s) radio and data communication networks.
• The JCF’s technology platform was expanded with the buildout of the Police Emergency Control Centre (PECC) backroom capacity to monitor up to 2,000 CCTV cameras.
• Connectivity at police stations was improved through the upgrading of the microwave data network.
• $40 million was spent to upgrade and improve efficiency of the traffic ticket management system. Traffic police were equipped with 100 smart android devices and portable printers to facilitate the electronic issuance of traffic tickets.
• The Jamaica Crime Observatory (JCO) Enhancement project received $16.7 million from Jamaica Social Investment Fund to acquire computer hardware and software for the JCF crime database.
• A human trafficking e-learning tool was launched.
JamaicaEye
• $1.2 billion was allocated in the 2020/21 Budget to supply and install equipment and software under the ‘JamaicaEye’ CCTV surveillance system. Servers were expanded to accommodate 1,000 additional video feeds.
• An agreement was signed with the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association (JGRA) to allow feed from public-facing cameras at gas stations to assist crime-fighting efforts and maintain public order.
Department of Correctional Services (DCS)
• Four inmates and one Correctional Officer at the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre were selected as the first recipients of full scholarships valued $300,000 each per year, to pursue online associate degrees with the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC).
• MOU signed to provide training to DCS staff along with wards and inmates transitioning out of correctional facilities.
• Wards at South Camp Juvenile Remand and Correctional Centre
received new multipurpose classrooms.
