Empowering Communities and Law Enforcement in Post-Hurricane Melissa Recovery: Pan American Development Foundation and Real Life Wisdom Services Lead Training Initiative

The Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) is pleased to have collaborated with Real Life Wisdom Services and the Jamaica Constabulary Force to successfully deliver a Community and Law Enforcement Training initiative from April 14–30, 2026, engaging 67 participants across three regional cohorts: St. James, St. Ann, and Trelawny (Cohort 1); Hanover and Westmoreland (Cohort 2); and Manchester and St. Elizabeth (Cohort 3). These parishes were among those most negatively impacted in Jamaica by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, making the training especially timely and relevant. Funded by PADF and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the training equipped participants with practical skills in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), along with trauma-informed techniques to support psychosocial recovery in the aftermath of a disaster. Community Safety and Resilience Teams were established to develop and implement community recovery response plans over the next 90 days. Beyond technical capacity-building, this initiative strengthened collaboration between communities and law enforcement, reinforcing a shared commitment to safer, more responsive, and resilient communities.