New Police Commissioner Says States of Public Emergency Helping to Reduce Murders

Newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, says the States of Public Emergency are “progressing apace” and the operations are assisting to reduce murders.

“In the first one in St. James, the number of murders has gone down tremendously, and in St. Catherine, we expect the same thing to happen,” he said.

The Commissioner, who took office on March 19, was speaking to JIS News today (March 20), following a call on the Minister of National Security, Hon. Robert Montague, at his office in St. Andrew.

“The fact is, we created a state of emergency there (St. James) because of what was happening, and those numbers have dropped tremendously in Montego Bay since,” he said.

He explained that the states of emergency enable the security forces to undertake critical activities that they would not have been able to do previously.

The Commissioner emphasised that “sustained pressure” by the security forces is integral to maintaining law and order in key areas.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, declared the State of Public Emergency in the St. Catherine North Police Division during a press conference at Jamaica House on Sunday (March 18).

A joint Jamaica Constabulary Force/Jamaica Defence Force team was deployed to the area to undertake enhanced security measures for an initial 14 days, in accordance with the Emergency Powers Act.

The Proclamation under the Emergency Powers Act to bring the enhanced security measures into effect was signed by Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, and has been gazetted.

The State of Public Emergency in St. Catherine North is the second such, following a similar declaration in St. James in January.