Loud cheers, competitive energy and vibrant musical performances filled the air last Friday as the Manchester Division southern zone summer camp ended with an action-packed sports day and talent concert which, according to zone commander Inspector Seanene Steers, “was a transformative week for 70 local youth”.
According to Steers, the week-long camp provided “young people from across the division with a dynamic blend of practical life skills, personal development, and community connection”.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in hands-on workshops covering critical health and safety topics, including oral healthcare, vaping risks, missing-persons protocols and domestic-violence prevention. These were balanced with creative and personal-enrichment sessions focused on leadership, ethics, table etiquette, storytelling, arts and crafts, and music.
Bridging the gap
Steers said a key highlight of the camp “was the direct engagement between youth and senior law-enforcement officers”.
Superintendent Odaine Dennis, the division commander, addressed the campers and, holding nothing back, delivered a strong message on the dangers of lottery scamming and making fast money, while offering the young participants a vision for an honourable future.
Campers paid rapt attention and, according to Steers, “the message clearly struck a chord, as by the end of the week, several campers were actively inquiring about joining the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force”, highlighting the trust fostered throughout the week-long programme.
“When a youth camp manages to move participants from simple attendance to actively asking how they can join the force, it shows that real trust was built,” Steers said during the closing ceremony.
The organisers attributed the camp’s impact to three core elements: holistic development, combining critical safety awareness with creative expression and social etiquette to nurture well-rounded citizens; direct leadership, with high-ranking officers interacting directly with participants, humanising the force and building personal connections; and proactive mentorship, demonstrating that effective community policing relies on mentorship, crime prevention and long-term investment in youth.
Campers showcased their artistic talents and athletic prowess on the final day, ending the week on a high note. For Steers, it showed that “community-centred policing continues to yield powerful, positive results in southern Manchester”.