Jamaica: Police focus on helping women, youths, LGBT

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

Arlene Harrison-Henry (Photo courtesy of the Jamaica Gleaner)

In Jamaica, 50 police have attended training sessions on vulnerable people, with a special focus on conscientiously dealing with LGBT people, youth, women, and people living with disabilities.

In a speech to trainees, Public Defender Arlene Harrison Henry said that the Jamaican legal framework has been slow to recognise the increasing diversity in the population. She called on participants to make use of the training, which will enhance their skills and allow them to carry out their duties conscientiously. She reminded the police that to serve and to protect was not only a moral duty but also a legal one.

The two-day diversity training sessions were held at the Jewel Paradise Cove in St Ann over two weekends, the Jamaica Observer reported. The training sessions were the result of a partnership between the Jamaica Constabulary Force and USAID.