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The LASCO, JCF Saluting Our Heroes Awards ceremony may have shifted from its original scheduled date in October to November, and now to December 17, but for the finalists, the postponement did not cast a shadow. Instead, the extended wait added a quiet buzz to an already meaningful moment—giving the Super Six finalists more time, and more reasons to reflect, reconnect, and keep doing the good work that brought them this far. And as they navigated the unexpected pause, the delay became its own kind of purpose, allowing each officer to lean deeper into service and gratitude while looking ahead to the moment that the name of the ‘top cop’ is announced. 

For Constable Shantel Powell, the hurricane did not just flatten physical landscapes—it opened an old wound. She was nine years old when Hurricane Ivan took the roof of her family’s Clarendon home, sending her and her siblings into the cold classroom shelter of Coffee Piece Primary. Two decades later, Melissa pushed her back into that memory—this time, as a first responder.

“It was a full circle moment of the events,” Powell said in a steady but reflective tone, “but with it came the reminder that the strength of our people is forged through adversity and as Jamaicans it would take more than terrible Melissa to obliterate us.”

Powell has been on the road non-stop since—curating online education sessions and travelling to the hardest-hit parishes with fellow Area 5 officers. She distributed school supplies to children in the hills of St. Elizabeth, who she said “hadn’t slept in their own beds for a week,” and volunteered with World Central Kitchen in Westmoreland to distribute warm meals. 

“So far, I have made four separate trips to different parishes, including St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny, with teams from Area 5, St. Catherine North and from the Community Safety and Security Units. These trips saw us bring relief supplies to our affected members and facilitate group counselling sessions. On one of these trips, I got to visit with one of my fellow finalists for the LASCO, JCF Police Officer of the Year title. It was priceless…seeing her strength on display,” Powell shared. 

She added, “I have been using my platform to support the cause of recovery and relief. My social media posts tell the narrative of hope amidst the devastation while calling viewers to assist by donating to the National Relief Fund. I have also done public education on survivor’s guilt and how persons can get around that to be of great help to those in need.”

Likewise, Detective Corporal Chadrick Williams, Area 4, has spent the past few weeks in motion—driving from Westmoreland to St. James and Trelawny, delivering relief packages and looking into the eyes of people whose lives changed in less than 24 hours. “It is challenging,” he confesses. “Seeing the emotional toll of what happened to our people and the communities that took decades to build.”

But the storm also sharpened his sense of perspective. 

“The biggest takeaway for me is appreciation for the little things— the roof over my head, being able to step inside a house, flip on a light switch or open a refrigerator, knowing electricity is available and to lay down in a bed comfortably after a long, stressful work day. Appreciation of things we often take for granted or see as the norm, because it can be taken away at any time,” Williams expressed.

Honoured the Call 

Through a family-owned business, OGM, Williams quietly took on the logistics of preparing and delivering care packages, blending his personal mission with his professional duties. It’s been enough to distract him from the awards—mostly. “In the grand scheme of things, I haven’t dwelled on it much,” Williams admitted. “I just want to know the final decision now because it has been a long process, but the hurricane relief took priority.”

Still, being named a finalist means something profound.

Williams emphasised, “Professionally, it’s an amazing honour. There are over 14,000 members of the JCF. So, to be selected in the top six…that means the work I am putting in behind the scenes, without wanting recognition, has been seen. And when he thinks of his achievements in the force thus far, he wants to thank his supervisor, Detective Sergeant Mickel Anderson and his commanding officer, Superintendent Michelle Campbell.

“Sergeant Anderson has been instrumental in this version of me; he has been a calm voice in difficult times, which is a rare trait in our field and he encouraged my potential. Meanwhile, SP Campbell deserves her flowers for all she has contributed, giving her expertise and time to assist across the length and breadth of the parishes impacted by the hurricane,” Williams shared.

Echoing the values and vision of LASCO and the LASCO Chin Foundation, Detective Corporal Livey Evans, Non-Geographical Formations, wants people to know that a resilient, thriving Jamaica is one where everyone works together. “What we have materially doesn’t count. What counts is our strength and our community as a Jamaican people. We are resilient—and we will rise stronger. Out of many, one people. This hurricane has allowed me to touch more lives and give others an opportunity to come back even better,” Evans said.

For Constable Monique Bartley, Area 1, the weeks after Hurricane Melissa gave new meaning to resilience as they were a test of strength she had not anticipated. When the storm passed, it left significant damage to her home—the roof gone and many of her belongings destroyed. Twenty-two days later, she faced the loss of her sister to breast cancer. 

“Wow,” she said quietly. “I’ve just been…keeping on. It unearthed strengths that I never knew I possessed. I’m just grateful. This was God’s design. I also have to thank my tower of strength, my daddy, Mr Lancelot G. Snowball.”

Even while managing personal loss, Bartley continued to serve. As part of the Community Safety and Security Branch and a communications liaison officer, she helped connect charities and stakeholders to communities in Ramble that had been cut off. She relied on her knowledge of the area’s geographical space and vulnerable spots to guide support where it was needed most. 

“We had officers who lost their homes and family members and still honoured the call to serve. So, I wanted to do my part too in the rebuilding of the Ramble Policing Area,” Bartley shared.

The experience has brought her closer to the other finalists, whose support and love she emphasised was “uplifting in a time of need.” 

Solid lessons

Corporal Rojehn Holt, Area 3, and Corporal Stephen Smith, Area 2, shared the same sentiment that no one can navigate hardship alone. Both officers also view the postponement of the LASCO, JCF Saluting Our Heroes Awards not as frustration, but as an opportunity for reflection. Holt celebrates the teamwork that carried everyone through. “Life is unpredictable, and at all times, we have to keep God at the centre,” he encouraged. 

Smith considers himself blessed that his home was spared major damage. Through his church’s relief programme and local initiatives, he helped distribute essentials. “Some days I can barely wait, and some days I’m patient; faith helps me stay grounded, and the experience, though not the best, reignited a sense of purpose. It gives me a push to give more of myself,” Smith expressed.

Their lessons are simple, but not small. Partnership is what saves people. Gratitude is a discipline. Faith makes the unpredictable bearable. On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, only one finalist will be given the Chairman’s Award, but in the weeks following Hurricane Melissa, all of them earned a different kind of recognition—one that is carved into the heart of the communities they serve.