Police commissioner outlines successes of St Catherine SOE | Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, has hailed the imposition of the recent state of emergency (SOE) in St Catherine, noting that 66 persons were charged with varying criminal offences over the 14-day period that the provisions existed.

Additionally, murders in the parish fell by 81 per cent, while shootings declined by 56 per cent, reported Anderson.

The SOEs were imposed in St Catherine on June 17, and were brought to an end on July 1 after the Government did not seek an extension, which was said to have been because of the broad, positive impact of the SOE’s imposition.

“Over the 14-day period, 66 persons were charged, 28 of which were for serious crimes, including murder, shooting and sexual offences, while six persons were charged with breaches of the Law Reform Fraudulent Transactions Act or lottery scamming,” said Anderson/

He was addressing the police’s monthly press conference on Tuesday.

Continuing, he outlined that, “Five wanted persons were taken into custody, three of whom were charged for sexual-related offences, and two for murder and illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

“Two major players involved in the gang conflicts in both the St Catherine north and south divisions were also arrested and charged with murder, shooting and illegal possession of firearm,” Anderson informed.

The security forces also managed to seize seven illegal guns within the 14-day period.

Further, a 14-year-old who had been reported missing was identified and taken into the care of an officer at a SOE checkpoint, where she was found in the company of an adult male. The man has since been charged with rape and having sexual intercourse with a person under the age of 16.

Anderson pointed to two 19-year-old men who were arrested during the security measures. They were wanted for the August 2021 double murder of a policeman, identified as Corporal Delwin Jackson, and taxi operator Kenroy Chandler. The killings occurred in Central Village in the St Catherine South Police Division.

On the day of the announcement of the SOE, Anderson stated that 12 active gangs were responsible for a significant number of the murders in the parish, including the killing of two men in the busy Spanish Town market district, along with several other murders in and around Spanish Town on Tuesday, June 14.

At that time the commissioner vowed that the SOE would result in a significant drop in murders and shootings across the parish.

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