Heavy Military Deployment to Fight Crime

A new crime fighting plan is being rolled out with heavy military deployment, targeting major communities where murders and other criminal activities have seen an upsurge.

Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, said while the police will take the lead in having a significant presence in the main crime spots across the island, members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), will be using their armoured personnel carriers to penetrate certain communities.

Speaking on the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) television programme, ‘Issues and Answers’, today (November 12),  Mr. Bunting said the entire island will be feeling and experiencing the crime plan, but parishes such as St. James, Westmoreland, Hanover, Clarendon, St. Catherine, and Kingston will see a considerable deployment of the security forces.

“We are going to see, for the first time, the new squadron of protective vehicles deployed operationally (by the JDF). These will be useful in areas where you have heavily armed gangs, and informal communities where the normal patrol has challenges to operate,”  he said.

The Minister pointed out that the Government has invested much in the JDF vehicles, and they will be utilized fully in the current offensive on crime.

“Over the last couple of years, we have allocated substantial capital budget to acquire this capability, and you are now going to see deployment of the first set of vehicles this week,” he said.

The Minister noted that 80 per cent of members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JDF) will be on the roads during the festive season.

In the meantime, Mr. Bunting said the pressure on lottery scammers will continue, noting that some $1.5 billion has been spent to equip the police with motor vehicles and modern technology to fight crime.