Security Services in Montego Bay, Jamaica

See the Caribbean page for coverage across the region.

Retail and Resort Districts in Montego Bay

We manage security programs for retailers, resorts and offices across Montego Bay, including:

• Gloucester Avenue (the Hip Strip)
• Montego Bay Cruise Port
• Half Moon Shopping Village
• Rose Hall resort area
• Montego Bay Free Zone

Security Considerations in Montego Bay

Most visitors arrive through Sangster International Airport and stay in resorts between the Hip Strip and Rose Hall, with cruise passengers adding day traffic. Duty-free jewelers and resort boutiques need officers who manage busy afternoons, work alongside hotel security teams and treat guests with the discretion that resort clients expect from everyone on the property.

In Jamaica, MGP manages the program, including Post Orders, supervision and reporting, while vetted local security companies supply the officers. English is the official language, and officers who understand Jamaican Patois communicate easily with staff and the public. Offices in the Free Zone need access control and visitor procedures for large, shift-based workforces arriving and leaving around the clock.

Hurricane season runs from June to November, and western Jamaica can see heavy rain, flooding and power loss even from storms that pass offshore. Resorts, villas and retail tenants need closing and shuttering plans, generator checks and clear instructions for officers posted at closed sites. Coverage at villas in the hills must also account for longer travel on winding roads.

How Coverage Works in Jamaica

Coverage runs on the MGP Global Partner Program: MGP manages the program and officers are supplied by vetted, locally licensed security companies.

Private security in Jamaica is regulated by the Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA). Source

Services in Montego Bay

Security Officer Requirements in Jamaica

• Under the Private Security Regulation Authority Act, no one may operate a private security organisation without a licence. Licences last up to five years, can be renewed for periods of up to five years, and carry an annual fee set by the Minister. Source
• Every person employed as a security guard or security trainer must register with the PSRA and receive a registration card. Employers may not employ a guard who does not hold a registration card. Source
• Unarmed guards must complete the prescribed training course before registration, and armed guards must complete a prescribed course in the management and use of firearms. Source
• Registration is refused to anyone convicted of a listed offence in the ten years before applying, or found not fit and proper. Source
• Applicants for PSRA registration submit a completed PSRA Form 2, a certified copy of their birth certificate, a Taxpayer Registration Number and a fingerprint report from the Criminal Records Office. Source
• Guards may carry a firearm only if registered as armed guards, and may possess the employer’s firearms only during lawful duties. An armed guard’s registration is cancelled if the Firearms Act authorization is cancelled. Source
• Operating without a licence, employing unregistered guards, or knowingly hiring an unlicensed security organisation is an offence punishable by a fine of up to J$10,000, up to two years in prison, or both. Source

Common Questions

Does MGP hold its own security license in Jamaica?

No. In Jamaica, officers are employed by vetted security companies that hold the local licenses, and MGP manages the program, its standards and its reporting.