SOES Effective In Driving Down Crime

Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, says that States of Public Emergency (SOEs) continue to be effective in reducing crime.

He noted that in Westmoreland, there is a 48 per cent drop in murders and a 39 per cent reduction in shootings.

In Hanover, murder is down 56 per cent while shooting is down 67 per cent.

“In St. James, we are seeing an increase but … [the parish] has the lowest rate of homicides there in the last… 17 years,” he noted, while addressing a virtual press conference on Thursday (June 4).

The Police Commissioner said that the rate of homicides and violence in St. James has been significantly reduced when compared to the period prior to the declaration of the SOE.

Over in Clarendon, murders and shootings are down by 38 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively.

“In Kingston Eastern…we have had a 68 per cent drop in murders and a 72 per cent drop in shootings. In St. Andrew South, we’ve had a five per cent drop in murders and an 18 per cent drop in shootings,” the Commissioner said.

An SOE was declared for St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland on April 30, 2019; Clarendon and St. Catherine North on September 5, 2019; the South St. Andrew Police Division on July 7, 2019; and the Eastern Kingston Police Division on January 26, 2020.

In the meantime, Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Strategic Operations, Clifford Blake, said that additional resources have been deployed to the August Town community to respond to the flare-up of violence.

“We do have concerns about ongoing criminal activities in areas within Kingston Western Division and the St. Andrew South Division,” he added, while urging citizens to continue supporting the efforts of the police.