Cops recover more guns, ammo in first quarter

Monday, May 03, 2010

THE police have seen significant jumps in the number of illegal firearms and ammunition taken off the streets for the first quarter of 2010, as they report increases in operational outputs in all the major categories when compared to the same period last year.

According to the police, a total of 197 firearms were recovered, a 10 per cent increase over the 179 seized last year while 12,767 rounds of ammunition were confiscated -- a 450 per cent increase over the 2,323 rounds found last year. In addition, the number of offensive weapons seized over the three-month period jumped to 14,944 from 10,273 last year.

There was also a 14 per cent increase in mobile patrols moving from 61,110 in 2009 to 69,475 in 2010. Spot checks, including road blocks, show a 47 per cent increase, according to data released by the police yesterday.

"As a result of these and other operational activities, a total of 9,902 persons were arrested and charged for various crimes in the first quarter of 2010. This represents a 36 per cent increase over last year which recorded 7,295 persons arrested and charged," the police said in an accompanying release.

Additionally, the police said they arrested 69 more wanted persons this year, 250 up from 181 last year.

In the meantime, 162,583 tickets were issued to traffic offenders -- 13,285 more than last year .

However, fewer stolen motor vehicles were recovered this year. According to the police, only 99 stolen vehicles were recovered this year, down from the 111 found last year.

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COMMENTS (4)

Elli Deedo
5/3/2010

This statistics report is fine, but it doe's not mean a reduction in Criminal activities, and less illegal guns in the hands of the Criminals. Every parish in Jamaica is infested with illegal Guns. The Source of their origin must be blocked off. This can only be done by intensive intelligent work. Criminal underworld must be disarmed, before there can be any reduction in Crime. At this time they are on top of the security..they have outnumbered the Security forces. More Police are also needed.

A. Croft
5/3/2010

When will the government implement the national ID & DNA databases? These are some of the things that need to be in place to enable control and policing.

Doug Campbell
5/3/2010

These glorified statistics means nothing if the criminals are not convicted and given the appropriate sentences in prison. In other words it is not the amount of people you lock up it is the amount who are punished and therefore deterred from commiting further offences and serves as a deterrent to others. Jamaica is awashed with firearms and the hundreds of criminal gangs exists are heavily armed, so to pickup a few guns here and there and the criminals who are arrested are given bail the next day is only a sticking plaster on a huge festering wound. The entire Justice and law enforcement system needs to be dismantled and replaced with laws and policies that ensure that Jamaicans fear and respect the law. Nothing else will work.

Nicolas Henry
5/3/2010

MORE GUNS AND AMMO RECOVERED= MORE GUN MURDERS COMMITED. DOES ANYONE SEE THE CORRELATION? NUMBERS DON'T MAKE SENSE IN JAMAICA. MORE ARREST WERE MADE= LESS CONVICTION GAINED AND THE KILLING GOES ON WHATS THEIR POINT? WELCOME TO JAMROCK. THEY ARE ALSO ADDING INTO THE STATS THE BIG AMMO& GUN FIND ON MOUNTAIN VIEW AVE. THE ONE THAT A POLICEMAN IS ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM THE POLICE ARMOURY. THEY ALSO SAY HE DID IT ALL BY HIMSELF.
MANY MORE WILL AHF TO SUFFER, MANY MORE WILL AHF TO DIE, READ THE OBSERVER DAILY AND YOU'LL KNOW WHY.

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Cops recover more guns, ammo in first quarter