DSP Manderson: Old Harbour’s police chief reassigned

He has been in charge of the Old Harbour area, a subdivision of St Catherine South Police Division since April 2019.

Today in a message to stakeholders, DSP Manderson announced that this will be “my last week operating in St Catherine South Police Division as the Commander for the Old Harbour Zone”.

The 39-year-old crime fighter is among eight police of senior ranks reassigned in the latest Force Order issued yesterday.

He will take up duties at the St Andrew South Police Division, headquartered at Hunt’s Bay.

DSP Mark Harris, from the Kingston Eastern Police Division, has been redeployed to Old Harbour as the new commander in charge.

Said Manderson: “I appreciate the bonds and partnerships formed, the projects undertaken, hills climbed, meals distributed, lives positively impacted, laughter shared and moments spent working together. Your support has aided in making Old Harbour, Old Harbour Bay and its surrounding communities a safer place than when we started. Thank you for every moment of this experience.”

Like those before him and certainly others to come after, DSP Manderson had his fair share of criticism and praise as the top crime fighter in town. What was obvious about him though was his mettle to face up against those with perceived greater power and influence.

Twice during his tenure in Old Harbour, DSP Manderson was locked in heated exchanges with Everald Warmington, a political heavyweight in the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Member of Parliament for St Catherine South Western.

Their last encounter in late May of this year was captured on video in which a clearly incensed Warmington was seen and heard talking on his mobile phone to someone believed to be Dr Horace Chang, the country’s deputy prime minister, Minister of National Security and JLP General Secretary.

At that time Warmington was heard saying: “Minista, mi naa put up wid dis no more dung yah!” during a stand-off with Manderson and a team of officers in Old Harbour Bay. Both DSP Manderson and Mr. Warmington have refused to further shed light on the matter beyond what was recorded.

Though the reassignment of officers is a normal exercise within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the transfer of DSP Manderson just over a month after that public spat will be seen as inevitable to a lot of residents. 

The same year he took charge, Old Harbour recorded a historic number of murders – 35 – in a calendar year. But by the end of 2020 homicides in the nation’s fastest growing town fell by more than 60 percent. Old Harbour’s chief of police was also instrumental in the revival of the Police Youth Club which embarked on several initiatives such as a feeding programme for the less fortunate particularly during the heights of the coronavirus pandemic. Through his efforts the conflict mediation programme, an initiative of the Ministry of Justice, was instituted at Old Harbour with senior justices of the peace mediating disputes thus preventing matters going to court.

Of his successor Manderson said “I am certain he is capable of continuing the work in the zone and improving significantly where I left off and even do a better job,” while thanking Old Harbour stakeholders for giving him “every support possible to ensure that my tenure was a success”.

“As I move on to higher heights and new challenges in the St. Andrew South Division, I encourage you to continue to build on the policing strategies and community partnership,” he adds. “We can have police anywhere when we gain the trust and confidence of citizens that we serve; we can police everywhere. We will cross path again as we continue the work on this project call Jamaica.”

Meantime, president of the South St Catherine Chamber of Commerce Treacha Reid commended the outgoing police head, while welcoming his heir apparent who will take up his latest assigned role on July 12. 

“The police through DSP Manderson’s leadership have been very supportive of the business community during his time here. We respect him for his uncompromising stance on law and order in a job that can be thankless despite your best efforts.

“He’s a leader of exemplary qualities and on behalf of our community we want to place on record our sincere gratitude to one of Jamaica’s better police officers who was truly committed to fighting crime in Old Harbour,” said Reid. 

“We look forward to working with DSP Mark Harris while building on the foundations laid during the last couple years with Mr Manderson.”

Socila activist Randy Finnikin said of DSP Manderson: “Policing in Old Harbour improved qualitatively under your lead. Your customer centric approach to engaging, serving and protecting residents while leading the men and women of the force has been quite exemplary.”

The Old Harbour Development Area Committee Chairman further stated: “One would have hoped that given how you have raised the credibility and image of the Old Harbour/ Old Harbour Bay Police you would have been able to stay with us to see the peace, neighbourliness and general transformation of the community that you have partnered with the various sectors to achieve.”