Additional Police Personnel in St. Elizabeth

The police in St. Elizabeth have been receiving additional assistance to maintain law and order, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Head of the St. Elizabeth Police Division, Superintendent Coleridge Minto, said the Category 5 system left many officers stranded or unable to report for duty, as several communities became inaccessible due to flooding, debris and structural damage.

Moreover, he noted that within two days of the hurricane’s passage there were reports of looting.

“We requested help [and] so on Thursday (October 30) we had a large contingent led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Christopher Phillips. He came in with about 50 officers to assist us with public order and town safety,” Supt. Minto explained.

In an interview with JIS News, he added that since then, additional officers have been dispatched from Kingston and other divisions to strengthen the St. Elizabeth Division.

These reinforcements have been working around the clock to maintain order, prevent further looting and protect what remains of properties in the parish, he added.

In the meantime, Supt. Minto has cautioned motorists to exercise greater care on the roadways. He indicated that two fatal traffic accidents have occurred in the aftermath of the disaster.

“Sections of St Elizabeth have been compromised, and roads are still filled with debris to the side, and in some sections we have water. So, we ask the public to drive much slower with heightened awareness of what’s happening around and to exercise the greatest of caution,” he urged.

“Also, for those coming into the parish, they must exercise patience, expect delays and drive with caution,” he added.

The parish of St. Elizabeth, like other western parishes, was particularly hard hit with homes, farms and livelihoods destroyed as well as many communities still cut off without electricity, food and communication.