SEVERAL YOUNG PEOPLE showed interest in joining the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF), at the third National Employment Bureau Job Expo.

Of the 30 job booths at the Expo held on Tuesday at Sherbourne Conference Centre, Two Mile Hill, St Michael, the RBPF's was one of the most popular stops for application and information for many young men and women.

Samac Belgrave, 13, was one who spent several minutes speaking with Sergeant Stephen Herbert, trying to get information.

He said he planned on joining either the RBPF or the Barbados Defence Force after leaving the cadets "because there is a lot of violence in Barbados and if I can get into either, I can make a difference".

Another student, Shineal Forde, 17, of Ellerslie Secondary School said: "I want to help people in my community and around the island because I want to see people progress. I don't like to see all the crime and violence going on," she said.

Sergeant O'Neal Small, the new crime prevention officer, said despite the challenges plaguing the force, a combination of several things had sparked new interest among the youth, like the use of weaponry and the forensics and information technology departments. (TM)