Officers at St. John’s Police Station down tools in protest as infestation of mold reportedly compromises their health

A set of police officers downed tools on Monday morning, July 17,
protesting their poor and unhealthy working conditions. 

Reports say the officers – from the St. John’s Police Station – staged a
sit-in, calling on the Administration to address an infestation of
mold in a particular department at the Newgate Street premises. 
Further reports claim the eastern section of the station – which
reportedly houses the Prosecution Department, the Criminal
Records Office (CRO), and the guard desk – is mold infested and is
affecting the officers’ health.

A source tells REAL News that those who work in these departments
have been told to hold on, since the Government is trying to source a
new location from which they can operate. 

According to the source, the officers who work in the CRO and are
responsible for issuing police records were forced to vacate the
office, last week, due to the condition.

Reportedly, they are now operating from an office upstairs the
Criminal Investigations Department building on the western section
of the compound. 

With the Criminal Records Office being impacted, there are
reportedly long delays in the process of obtaining a police record,
which is often required when persons are seeking employment.
If the Prosecution Department is affected, the source says, that could
impact the timely prosecution of cases and the functioning of the
Magistrates’ Court.

For the past nine years, several police stations have been plagued
with structural and sanitation issues, resulting in operations being
transferred to other “temporary” locations.

Residents regularly point out that these stations are not operating in
the villages for which they are named. For instance, the Willikies
Police Station is operating just outside the village of Glanvilles and
the All Saints Police Station outside Seaview Farm.

The Coolidge Police Station has been moved to Carlisle and the
Bolans Police Station is sharing quarters with the Johnson’s Point
Station.

A source notes that, since the Browne Administration took office,
more money has been spent on renting premises for police
operations than in the previous years when the Labour Party had
accused the Spencer Administration of overspending.