With what is usually one of the biggest crowd pullers in respect of high school events getting under way - Boys' and Girls' Champs - rival schools, particularly those in the Corporate Area, are positioning themselves to gain bragging rights for the coming year.

In light of this, however, the police have also given the assurance that they will be out in their numbers in the days during the staging of the Issa/GraceKennedy Boys' and Girls' Athletic Championships to closely monitor the situation.

Senior Superintendent of Police, George Quallo, head of the St Andrew Central Police Division, said the police would be increasing their presence in and around the Corporate Area, particularly in the Half-Way Tree Transport Centre, to ensure that order is maintained.

"Whenever it gets to this time of the year the students get what you call champs fever," said Supt Quallo.

He said the constant rivalry among particular schools has always been a major concern for the police as the occurrence of fights and other violent incidents become more frequent.

Meanwhile, there have been a number of reports regarding the behaviour of students from certain Corporate Area schools at the transport centre.

Quallo admitted this has been a matter of concern for the police since the opening of the facility almost three months ago, but said it was not a new problem.

"Anywhere you have large numbers of people congregating, particularly students you are going to have problem," he said.

Several incidents of fights, stabbings and theft at the centre have been reported in the past few months.

"We have confiscated a number of knives and other weapons from students at the facility," said Quallo.

He also said the police have increased their presence and are working hard to curtail the problem.