By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WHILE National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage yesterday could not say when the shift system would come to an end, he told told reporters that “he was not deaf” to the concerns of the Police Staff Association.

On Monday the PSA said they were still waiting on word from Dr Nottage as to whether police officers would be compensated for working the 12 hours shifts financially or with extra vacation days.

When asked about both the matters Dr Nottage said: “Obviously there is nothing in the budget about that subject but I’m not deaf. Nobody has really asked me for days back, but I have heard the concern and as I said I am not deaf.

“Ideally (the 12 hour shift system) will be in place as long as it is thought to be effective and until such time as we have the ability to compensate for it when it finishes. But as I indicated to yo I expect to get advice on that from the Commissioner of Police (Ellison Greenslade).”

Dr Nottage added that generally, the public has been pleased to have the shift system in place.

“The only feed back I have gotten has been very positive mostly from the commanders and from the persons who are working on the streets. The public is extremely pleased with the new police presence and they have told me so. They have called up to say there are some communities where people have said they have never seen policemen in their communities in the past.

“So the truth of the matter is that I have very little negative response either from policemen or the public about that particular aspect that we are doing.”

The government also plans to recruit 100 new police officers and additional defense force officers in addition to a host of other crime fighting initiatives.