Police Say West Kingston Operation Will Last as Long as Necessary

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, Glenmore Hinds, says the police will continue its operation in West Kingston, as long as such measures are required to restore law and order to affected areas.
He was participating in a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Tuesday (May 25), to provide information on the ongoing police/military operation in Tivoli Gardens.
The police and military have been engaged in the Tivoli Gardens area since Monday (May 24), after violence escalated following the issue of a warrant for Christopher Coke to be extradited to the United States to face drugs and gun charges.
The police have so far confirmed the deaths of 26 civilians and one Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldier since the operation started in Tivoli Gardens on Monday. Two policemen were also killed on Mountain View Avenue, Eastern St. Andrew on Sunday.
JDF Colonel Rocky Meade said, in response to concerns raised by journalists about possible excesses during the operation, that no more force than necessary was used.
“As you can appreciate we cannot go into details as to specific tactics that are being used. The operation is ongoing, so we have to be careful of that.but what I can assure you is that we have used no more force than is necessary to preserve lives, whether of our troops or of the civilians that we are protecting. We have been very careful of that,” he said.
Also speaking at the press conference, Minister with responsibility for Information, Telecommunications and Special Projects, Hon. Daryl Vaz, said that the Government is determined to ensure that the criminals are contained.
“I can categorically state that the time has come when we have to take this on frontally, without any apology. So, therefore, don’t limit it to a matter of an operation in relation to execution of a warrant; this country is under siege by criminals and the time has come when it is going to be dealt with,” Mr. Vaz declared.