St. Andrew South police chief outlines youth outreach, community ties and staff welfare priority

Senior Superintendent of Police Damian Manderson, commanding officer of the St. Andrew South division, has described how his command tries to connect with at-risk young people, keep public confidence while fighting crime, and put officer welfare at the centre of results.

Speaking with Constable Tamara Monrou, Manderson said the division takes a deliberate approach. Officers enter communities, meet young men where they live, and work to establish police youth clubs so youths have a group they can join and identify with. Over time, he said, that affiliation builds mutual support between police and the young people involved.

Balancing firm enforcement with positive relations remains difficult, he noted. Some officers carry out what he called hardcore policing, while other work focuses on social interventions. As commanding officer, Manderson said he serves as the link between those roles. He makes a point of talking with residents in both calm periods and troubled ones, standing with them where possible without softening operational duties. He also uses those contacts to explain policing methods and remind citizens that rights come with responsibilities.

Asked how staff welfare fits into that agenda, Manderson said partnerships, tactics and resources all matter, but St. Andrew South’s success rests most heavily on its personnel. He ranked welfare first, pointing to the men and women on the front line who work when communities are least aware of their presence. The division, he said, aims to keep officers properly supported, secure the resources they need, and keep lobbying on their behalf. Progress is imperfect, he acknowledged, but the effort continues daily so members of staff remain well.