ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) – Assistant Commissioner of Police, Warren Clarke, who is Commanding Officer for Area One, has assured residents in the west that members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will continue to protect them and rid the region of criminals.

Addressing a press conference at the St James Police Headquarters at Montego Freeport yesterday, Clarke said the police have been reaping success in seizing illegal weapons and ammunition.

“Since the start of the year in Area One, we have seized 148 firearms, 1,349 cartridges,” he said.

The assistant commissioner said members of the JCF are resolute in their fight against criminal elements in the region, and thanked citizens for the role they have been playing  in assisting the police to apprehend a number of criminals.

“We are thankful and very pleased with the partnership which we have been able to forge with the citizens, which has led to the arrest of many wanted persons,” he noted.

Area One covers the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St James and Trelawny.

Meanwhile, Major Murphy Pryce of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) told the press conference that two additional companies of soldiers have been assigned to St James in the fight against crime and violence.

In addition, Major Pryce said the army’s Intelligence Unit has been assisting the police in St James.

For his part, Commanding Officer for the St James police division, Senior Superintendent of Police, Marlon Nesbeth, appealed for the support of citizens to reduce crime in the parish.

He pointed out that the police have made significant strides in apprehending wanted men over the past two weeks.

Nesbeth said that members of the Community Safety and Security Branch of the JCF will continue to do interventions in schools in the parish, as they seek to address a number of social issues.