St. James Police Target Eight Key Gangs

The St. James Police says it will be targeting eight criminal gangs this year as it continues to build on gains in reducing crime in the parish.

The gangs are Alliance, Junglist, Rocky View, Rebel Men, Green Tank, Bronx, Matches Lane and Cassava Piece.

Speaking at the monthly meeting of the St. James Parish Council in Montego Bay on Thursday, January 10, Deputy Superintendent for the St. James Police Division, Sharon Beeput, said that activity against these gangs would be intensified. She said the gangs were being targeted based on intelligence.

She urged citizens to continue to provide the police with information that can help in ridding their communities of crime.

“We are seeking the assistance of persons to give us your intelligence. If there are matters that you see that need the intervention of the police, please call somebody so that we can prevent it before it gets worse. We are doing our best, we are doing all that we can,” the Deputy Superintendent stated.

“We have continuous foot patrols in these affected communities and we are in partnership and reaping success through those operations. We are looking more on the intelligence-led operations. Persons have been responding to us, and that is a plus. Also, we have increased road policing,” she told the meeting.

Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent Beeput said that the police was able to achieve success in reducing major crimes last year, including murder, shooting, rape, break-in and larceny. In addition, 66 firearms were recovered, 543 rounds of ammunitions, and seven stolen motor vehicles.

So far this year, one murder has been committed, which is far less than the six recorded for the same period in 2012.