Govt Told To ‘Buy’ Police Leave

Yesterday, Secretary of the Police Second Division Sgt Noel Chase said the proposal was sent some months ago, but up to yesterday, the association had not received official word on whether the ministry had accepted the Second Division’s proposal.

Junior Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds yesterday promised to find out what had transpired since the proposal was sent. Second Division officers yesterday said although morale is at an all-time low, they are prepared to sell their leave to Government and work in the interest of the country.

More than half of the Police Service is on leave resulting in a severe manpower shortage, and all police stations throughout the country have been affected.

In some instances, only two police officers are at a station at nights in the charge room making it difficult for them to respond to distress calls.

The Human Resource branch of the Police Service indicated via letters to all police divisions that it plans to begin sending officers with 60 days outstanding leave on leave. Last week, the mobile unit at St Ann’s was forced to be closed when only two officers turned up for duty.