Chair of the Jamaica Police Federation, Sergeant Arleen McBean, has expressed gratitude to the government for putting systems in place to facilitate payment of retroactive sums owed to officers for added hours this month.

Speaking at the thanksgiving service for Constable Linroy Codner at the weekend, Sergeant McBean noted that the sums owed are to be paid over to officers on December 19.

The retroactive payments come after a period of contention regarding added hours and their place in the compensation structure.

Sergeant McBean added that the police federation continues to negotiate for items including improved health insurance and full deployment of ballistics vests.