St Joseph Station overrun by roaches, rats

OFFICERS attached to St Joseph Police Station are calling on the Police Service Administration and the Ministry of National Security to do something about the atrocious conditions under which they are forced to work... or face the possible consequences. “Cockroaches, rodents and mosquitoes have literally taken over the station,”  an angry officer told Newsday yesterday.

“The place is falling apart, sinking to a pig sty, while the administrators twiddle their thumbs in their air conditioning offices at La Horquetta and Police Headquarters. “The women’s dormitory is now the home for various nest of German cockroaches and rats which cause the female officers to flee, while the toilets are malfunctioning. The men’s dorm is even worse, while the whole station is invested with mosquitoes and yet despite our complaints the seniors turn a blind eye.

“When we threaten shut down they say they are looking for a building where we can be temporarily housed while a new station is built. But we have been told that for the last seven years and the station is only getting worse.” Late last year Commission-er of Police Everald Snaggs in a helicopter visit to four police stations including St Joseph promised by the end of the year the officers would have been working under better conditions.

Five months after and the station is similar or worse. “We do not want to shut down the station as it serves a very sensitive area but if this situation continues, we will be forced too.” Efforts to contact Deputy Commissioner of Police Trevor Paul were futile.