Eleven new motor vehicles have been added to the fleet of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) as part of measures to bolster the operational capacity of the entity.

The units were acquired at a total cost of $84.5 million and include four sport utility vehicles (SUVs), two pick-up vans, one truck, one panel van, and three mini vans.

They will be used to transport staff members and inmates to health facilities and other locations, as well as deliver food and other items across the DCS network.

State Minister for National Security, Hon. Zavia Mayne, who inspected the vehicles  at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston on Thursday (March 16), said the Government is “on a mission to modernise and transform the DCS.”

He said that every aspect of the DCS’ operations and physical facilities are being improved for better service delivery.

“The institutional arrangement is something that we have been looking at as part of the overall transformation… mobility is critical to the efficient operations of the department,” he said.

Superintendent Philbert Officer, who is in charge of the DCS’ Transport Centre, said the vehicles are a welcome addition and will enhance the capacity of the correctional services.

“We are short on vehicles and adding these will boost our fleet significantly,” he said.

The addition of the new vehicles brings the DCS’ total fleet to 107.

The Department is comprised of seven adult correctional centres; one adult remand centre; four juvenile centres; and seventeen community service offices (probation offices) located island-wide.

-JIS News-