Jamaican security companies KingAlarm and Guardsman Group are urging the Government to tap into the private security industry to enhance the local crime-fighting efforts. Both companies pointed to the potency and the number of security guards working in the industry, contending that they would very much complement the operations of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Kenneth “Kenny” Benjamin, executive chairman of Guardsman Group of Companies said that many police officers who are otherwise engaged could be reassigned to more rigid posts within the force.
“We do a lot of necessary work and we want to do more of it. As far as I am concerned, there are a lot of duties the police are performing which we could easily take over and relieve lots of policemen to go and fight crime, which they are well trained to do, rather than direct traffic or be at embassies or work at police stations that can be outsourced. The police can really go and do what the police ought to be doing,” he said in a recent interview.
“We have raised it with the Government. We could be of good support to national security and we are already. Now more than anything else, the Government should pay attention to the security guard industry. We are 89,000 short in the police force and the army is always stretched.”
There are some 8,000 security personnel working at Guardsman in areas such as technology, security, cash logistics, sustainability, and hospitality. Last month, Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang said he is banking on adding about 1,500 new cops annually, and increasing reliance on technology to rein in crime. The goal is to take the force up to 14,000 members.
