Overcrowding, poor cell checks plague Area 3 police lock-ups, says PCOA

The Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) has reviewed nine lock-ups in Police Area 3,  highlighting deficiencies in compliance with Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) policies governing cell searches and physical inspections of detention facilities.
The PCOA said only four of the facilities complied with JCF policies governing the required frequency of cell searches, and only five adhered to the requirements for conducting physical checks of cells.
The inspection covered facilities in St Elizabeth, Manchester, and Clarendon.
The PCOA said the low level of compliance in these two areas was further compounded by overcrowding, with only four of the inspected lock-ups housing prisoners below their gazetted capacity. The remaining facilities were operating above their gazetted cell capacity, increasing security risks.
Further investigation indicated that the majority of the prisoners in custody were remandees held by the court, according to the police oversight body. However, standard operating procedures dictate that these individuals should be under the remit of the Department of Correctional Services.          
In its January to March quarterly publication, the PCOA reported that six of the nine lock-ups either had no fire extinguishers or they were not serviced.  
On the matter of disease outbreaks, there was no evidence of this at all facilities checked during the period under review. However, the PCOA discovered that four of the nine lock-ups had roach infestation.      
Most facilities maintained records in good order, with the exception of the charge and prisoners’ property books, where six did not comply with JCF policies.
The PCOA said the main objective of these inspections is to assess the various administrative practices at prisoners-in-custody stations with the highest prisoner population within all the divisions in the area as well as the ones that house women. It said this would identify any weaknesses and deficiencies that might prevail and allow the authority to propose recommendations to address them.
The scope of this inspection included looking at the extent to which the division was complying with JCF policies and procedures as it relates to the maintenance of various prisoners-in-custody records, lock-up management, and adherence to safety and security measures and resources, among other areas.  
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