PCOA Urges Citizens in Area 5 to Participate in Survey – Jamaica Information Service

Citizens are being urged to participate and share their feedback on the quality of service received from police officers and stations in Area 5, as part of the Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) Transforming Our Police Service (TOPS) programme.

The feedback is specifically being sought for the TOP Customer Service Division or Station.

Speaking recently at a Jamaica Information Service Think Tank, Chief Executive Officer of the PCOA, Otarah Byfield Nugent, explained that the authority’s officers will be visible in communities collecting information over the coming weeks.

“People may see our officers on the road because [of] the TOPS Customer Service Award, they will do surveys, so they come and speak to you. It’s very important for them to participate, so don’t be scared. It’s all about getting the information for that particular award, getting them involved in that process,” she said.

She added that survey teams will be properly identified in Police Area 5 which comprises St. Andrew North, St. Thomas, St. Catherine North and St. Catherine South divisions.

“They will have IDs, and they will have their tablets or the forms that they will ask the questions and record the [answers],” she stated.

Mrs. Byfield Nugent emphasised that citizen participation is critical, not only in helping to select the winning station, but also in shaping how police service is evaluated. “It’s very important for the citizens to participate in the survey because, first of all, it’s a part of getting them involved in choosing the winner, but it’s also going to give us important information as to what the interaction and the performance is like from the citizens’ perspective,” she said.

Mrs. Byfield Nugent further noted that the survey captures critical aspects such as community engagement, officer involvement in meetings, and the administration of the public interaction policy.

“We look at officer station involvement and engagement with our community meetings and widely publicised meetings. But the very critical part of it…[is] the survey that gives us information as to what interaction is like in that space and all that comes together to give the final score,” she said.

The survey began in the week of September 8-12 in St. Catherine North and will move into St. Catherine South and St. Andrew North in the coming days. It will continue into the first week of October.

Making a final appeal, Mrs. Byfield Nugent stated that once persons are living, working or have any reason to go to a station in Area 5, they should participate.

“Even if you are stopped within the vicinity, just participate and log what your experience is like by choosing your favourite station. It’s a special appeal to our police youth clubs as well to participate,” she said.

The original article can be found here.

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