Black Immigrant Daily News

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will be strengthening its public order campaigns and expanding its quick response teams to make further gains in tackling serious and violent crimes.

Addressing the JCF’s monthly press briefing, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson outlined that the quick response arm of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) is a direct response to robberies and other violent crimes, including those committed by motorcyclists who would otherwise be challenging to intercept.

These teams have been deployed in the St James, Kingston and St Andrew, St Elizabeth, and St Catherine South police divisions.

“Since the establishment of these teams in March 2021, they have effected over 600 arrests and seized 49 illegal firearms,” Anderson said.

“In one of the latest incidents, three men who committed a murder and subsequently engaged the quick response team in a shoot-out on Orange Street in downtown Kingston, were apprehended and charged,” he added.

Three illegal firearms and several rounds of ammunition were also seized in that operation.

“Additional personnel are now in training to be deployed to other parts of the island, including St Ann and St Catherine North (police divisions),” Anderson said.

On the matter of public order, the top law enforcer pointed to a number of ongoing operational initiatives islandwide.

Among them is the recently launched ‘Operation Restore Paradise’, a public order reset in Montego Bay, St James.

“We are seeing improvements in terms of the overall appearance of the downtown (Montego Bay) area and the restoration of order.

“This initiative required a multi-agency approach and, in order to sustain these improvements, a long-term commitment from all of the stakeholders involved is critical,” Anderson insisted.

“We will continue to work with our key partners, such as the municipal corporation, public health department, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and the private sector,” he committed.

Besides Montego Bay, the senior lawman said the JCF is planning to roll out similar initiatives in other town centres to maintain order.

Meanwhile, the police have also raised concern about increased reports of breaches of the Noise Abatement Act.

“We are mindful that with the lifting of the COVID restrictions, a number of businesses, to include those in the entertainment industry, have reopened.

“We are of the view that everyone can co-exist if the music is maintained at a level that does not create disturbance and conforms to the provisions of the Act,” Anderson said.

However, the police commissioner said there are instances where the music is played in a loud manner beyond what is acceptable and create disturbance to others.

In these instances, said Anderson, the police “will be enforcing the law”.

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The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda, having met today, all members present—three days following the re-opening of all schools, public and private—expressed its strong condemnation of several schools, both private and public, that discriminate against Rastafarians and those students who wear their natural hair in locks.

The Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda protects freedom of religion, freedom of association, and the freedom to hold a belief system that differs from the majority’s.

The Cabinet noted that objection to natural hairstyles on the heads of students may be couched in language covering school deportment; however, the object, as the Cabinet sees it, is to enable discrimination against children from the Rastafarian community.

That debate about exclusion of Rastafarians from schools ended in Antigua and Barbuda nearly 50 years ago. Schools are not to discriminate against members of the Rastafarian community, or those who choose to wear their hair in the same manner as the Rastafarians practice. That is the policy as articulated by the Government.

If it becomes necessary, the Parliament of Antigua and Barbuda will be induced to change policy into law.

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Acting Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob. File photo/Jeff K Mayers

ACTING Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob feels confident that the Gang Reduction and Community Project (GRACE) is the key to reducing murders through tackling gang-related activities.

The murder toll for the year has crossed 400, and the police have linked a large percentage of these murders to gangs.

Speaking at the launch of GRACE at the Police Academy, St James, on Wednesday Jacob said this project’s approach will allow police to make progress in reducing gang activity and preventing the formation of new gangs.

“I strongly believe that we are on the right track to solve the problems which exist here concerning crime, and deviant behaviour in our society.

“I heard some popular radio hosts, saying how ‘Jacob not getting any support, we cross 400 murders,’ and I think that the (murder) figures should indicate more and more why we need the support and why we need programmes like the GRACE programme, so we can go in the communities and make the necessary change.”

He admitted, “Murders and other serious crimes are by far the main issue in the country. Therefore, we know that the fear of crime is real and we are aware that the public demands improved performance by the police service.

“The course of crime affects the standard of living, but it’s most overwhelming for those communities plagued by deprivation, discrimination and other challenges. Most of the people involved in street and violent crime come from these neighbourhoods, and there is a direct relation with gang activities.”

In 2020, Jacob said 205 of the murders that year were gang-revenge related and involved illegal guns.

“The police responded to this in an all-out campaign to seize firearms from off the street and communities in TT.”

Police have seized 445 illegal guns, 64 of which were high-powered guns. A total of 1, 060 people had been arrested and charged.

He said 70 per cent of the perpetrators were between 16 and 35.

“This project is designed to counter and reverse the events that are claiming these communities,” he added. “It’s the young men and sometimes women from these communities that are arrested and charged, it’s young men and women from these communities that are killed.”

The project largely focuses on deterrent intervention, behavioural change and human development through social support.

The findings from this pilot project will be used to train and change the way police handle gangs and their members.

“It’s important to note gang-related murders are most difficult to solve in most countries, and TT is no exception. The lack of the willingness of witnesses to assist the police and provide vital information due to distrust in police, or fear due to the likelihood of retaliation, stresses why this programme is necessary.”

The project will see 600 officers trained from 12 police stations in high-risk communities.The blueprint of this programme will be used to deal with gang and gang activity in other communities.

Jacob said, “This is the soft approach to policing. But I say it is also the ideal approach. Because it is not soft at all. If you can positively change mindsets, then you can positively influence their lives, and there is nothing soft about that.:

Traditional and “hard” policing can only go so far, he said.

Gary Joseph, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security, said because gang activities and gang violence are a real threat to the way of life in TT, the ministry is working tirelessly to dismantle and root out gangs.

“This model will facilitate community involvement and utilise multidisciplinary teams to secure and directly intervene with the gang-involved young adults most likely to be involved in crime and violent gang-related behaviours.

“Suppression strategies will focus on addressing the most serious crime problems in our investigations.

“By strengthening intelligence-led policing, the most pressing crime and trends related to gang activities can be quickly identified by our law enforcement forces, and addressed thereby reducing the impact, and increasing the success of prevention and suppression measures.”

Citizens’ security networks will also be formed in each community where GRACE has been implemented.

These networks will comprise organisations, businesses, schools, faith-based organisations, regional corporations and ministries, among others.

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A vehicle transporting school children overturned along the Southern main road, Claxton Bay near Pranz Gardens. Photo by Lincoln Holder

Ten children, aged six-14, who were hurt in a collision on their way to school on Monday are recuperating at their homes.

None of them had life-threatening injuries, the police said. All except one, a 14-year-old girl, were examined and given the all-clear to go home that day.

The girl was kept overnight at the San Fernando General Hospital for observation. On Wednesday, a senior policeman confirmed she had been discharged.

Eight of the children attend primary schools in the California/Couva area and two attend secondary schools.

Monday was the first day of the school year.

Just before 8 am, the private bus carrying them crashed on the Southern Main Road in Savonetta, Couva.

The police said the driver, 32, from Claxton Bay, was heading to Couva, a short distance from Pranz Gardens, taking the students to their schools.

Investigators believe he lost control and the bus veered off the wet road, flipped and landed upside down in an overgrown area.

Other drivers stopped and helped the children out of the bus. Officers from Mon Repos, Savonetta and Couva fire stations responded.

Some children were taken to the hospital and others to the Couva health facility.

The driver was also treated and discharged the same day.

PC Mansingh of the Couva police station is leading investigations.

On Tuesday, the day after the crash, the Route Three Unified Maxi Taxi Association called on parents andguardians to ensure their children travel only with “H”-registered vehicles.

A statement listed several advantages of travelling in”H” vehicles. One is that the insurance policy covers passengers.

“Therefore, in the event of an accident, all medical expenses will be compensated by the insurance,” the statement said.

It added that “H”-registered vehicles must be inspected by the licensing authority every 12 months, while “P” or “T” vehicles are inspected every two years.

“Therefore, this allows the passenger to feel a bit safer knowing this vehicle has to be up to standard to be allowed on the nation’s roadways.”

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24-jarige wil sekswerk uit taboesfeer halen Beroving, (groeps) verkrachting en mishandeld worden zijn risico’s die sekswerkers lopen tijdens het uitoefenen

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