JAMAICA CONSTABULARY FORCE (JCF) members assigned to the Norman Manley International Airport are restive about plans to have them searched when leaving from or arriving at work. The JCF members deem the measure inappropriate, as they would be subjected to searches by members of the Port Security Corps.

The new measures were scheduled to commence today. Several JCF personnel told The Sunday Gleaner that the new requirement is unacceptable, unwarranted and unprecedented. The affected members said they would not allow security guards to search them. They added that if this was going to be the case, there would be no need for the police to be at the airport. They claimed that the Constabulary Force Act prohibited them from being searched by civilians.

formal complaint

Chairman of the Jamaica Police Federation Sergeant Raymond Wilson said he was not aware of the complaints, as no member of the airport police had made a formal complaint to the federation.

"What might be prudent, however, is to look into the matter to get a proper understanding of if the proposed action of the airport management is in conformity with international security standards," Wilson commented.

Meanwhile, head of the Port Security Corps Commander John McFarlane, while acknowledging the security changes, made no comment on the issues raised by police personnel.