Future nurses, pilots, doctors, soldiers — and even a bank teller — filled the corridors and classrooms of St Paul’s United Infant School on Career Day last Thursday.
Dressed for the roles they hope one day to pursue, the young pupils paused from their activities to welcome a visitor: Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) chief executive officer Otarah Byfield-Nugent. She arrived with gifts – educational colouring books – for the Kingston Gardens-based early childhood institution.
The books feature illustrated scenes of positive interactions between police officers and citizens, offering children the chance to bring them to life with crayons and pencils.
“The greater purpose that I hope will be realised through these colouring books,” Byfield-Nugent shared, “is for infants to view the police and the Jamaica Constabulary Force as a safe space.”
That aim was evident in real time. Sitting with five-year-old Jahani Williams and six-year-old Kairo McLeod — both dressed as doctors — she flipped through the book as the children followed closely. The images, adapted from entries in the Transforming Our Police Service (TOPS) Secondary School Poster Competition for Area 2, quickly captured their attention.
“I was very pleased with the interaction. It brought warmth to my heart because it reminded me of the innocent and impressionable space I was in when I was their age,” the CEO noted.
She explained that the TOPS Secondary School Poster Competition is a key part of the PCOA’s annual programme, serving as the basis for the colouring books. “Each year, we solicit participation of secondary school students in the Jamaica Constabulary Force Area we are inspecting for the TOPS competition at the time. We invite the students to express how they feel about good citizen-police relationships through art. It is a creative way to get them inspired and engaged in the dialogue about building trust and confidence in the JCF, with a view to shaping its transformation for the future,” she added.
For Nicholas Johnson, who has served as principal of St Paul’s United for the past year, the books carry deeper meaning.
“I am happy there are concepts in the book so that our teachers can guide the students to know that a policeman’s job is not just to arrest because that is not the sole purpose of the Force. It’s about building a relationship with people and students to know that they are safe,” he said.
The distribution of colouring books extended beyond St Paul’s United. PCOA staff also visited Dunrobin Primary and Allman Town Infant School.
At Allman Town, principal Dorothy Mason Balmer welcomed the books for a second consecutive year as the agency’s senior director of inspections and monitoring, Andrew Beaumont, handed over supplies. With 70 students enrolled, she emphasised their value.
“For the children’s development, colouring books play a vital role,” she said. “There are several foundational skills they gain when they use them. They enhance their fine motor skills and hand and eye coordination. They also learn about colours and words and also acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills, too.”
Dunrobin Primary was the final stop. There, principal Dr Sacheel Grant-Henry spoke enthusiastically about the role of such tools in early learning.
“They are absolutely important,” she said, pausing repeatedly as pupils stopped to hug her on their way to class.
“We talk initially about the fine motor skills that need to be developed and colouring within the spaces. This speaks to children’s competence because when you colour in the lines, it means you are following good directions.”
