Police Deploy Additional Personnel and Resources

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has deployed additional personnel and resources to crime hotspots, as it moves to tackle the upsurge in murders since the start of the year.

Commissioner of Police, Dr. Carl Williams, said that among the areas of focus are Spanish Town and its environs and St. James, particularly Montego Bay.

He said the efforts of the JCF are being fully supported by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF).

“There is much to do in 2015 because we are barely a week into the year already and we have an upsurge that has already claimed 24 victims. We are responding to the spate of killings and we will do everything to get it under control,” he pledged.

Dr. Williams, who was addressing a press conference today (January 7) at his Old Hope Road offices in Kingston, said the police are making good headway in apprehending those responsible for the murders.

“We have good and credible intelligence and the identities of the killers in most instances and our investigative machinery is already in high gear to apprehend, and we will use all our scientific techniques and our investigative (skills) to ensure that we convict these perpetrators when we catch them,” the Commissioner said.

Dr. Williams noted that throughout this year, renewed focus will be placed on dismantling gangs and seizing their weapons; enforcing the anti-gang legislation; community policing, among other things.

He called on the citizens to “work hand in hand” with the police and become fully involved in the efforts to make the country safer.

“Proximity policing, our new brand of community policing, is designed to build partnerships, which will work as an effective counterbalance to gangs and to deal with other community issues such as domestic violence, mob killings, and praedial larceny,” he said.

Commissioner Williams also said that the JCF will increase its general operational thrust by redeploying officers from non-geographic and non-operational sections, pointing out that whatever methods are used to arrest crime, the utmost respect for human rights will be demonstrated.

There was a significant drop in serious and violent crimes in 2014 as the Ministry of National Security continued to implement measures to keep the country safe.

Data show that from January to December 31, all serious and violent crimes, including murder, rape, shooting and aggravated assault, fell 17 per cent when compared with the corresponding period in 2013.

There was a 16 per cent reduction in murders, with the figure moving from 1,200 in 2013 to 1,005 in 2014.