Investigators look at the spot where the body of police constable Deuel Oxford (inset) was found yesterday morning. (Photos: Llewellyn Wynter)

POLICE Commissioner Lucius Thomas yesterday described as "callous" and "unwarranted" the early morning murder of 22-year-old Constable Deuel Oxford.

His murder brings to five, the number of police officers killed since the start of the year.

Yesterday, the commissioner vowed to bring down not only Oxford's murderers but to put more resources behind the constabulary's crime fighting efforts.

"This is the fifth policeman to be killed since this year, and while I mourn the loss of another member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force family, our resolve is further strengthened to not only bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice but also to redouble our efforts in the continuing fight against crime," Thomas said in a statement.

Oxford, who was assigned to the Rock River Police Station in Clarendon, was shot dead by gunmen outside his grandfather's house in Thompson Town yesterday morning as he was about to enter his car to go to a party.

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) said the gunmen also stole Oxford's licensed firearm.

Oxford's body was found in bushes near the house at approximately 4:15 am. The police told the Observer that they found two gunshot holes and blood on the trunk of his Toyota motorcar. They also theorised that Oxford jumped a wall after he was shot, before collapsing in the bushes.

Yesterday, Oxford's girlfriend, Antoinette Wisdom, told the Observer that she last spoke with him at about 6:30 pm on Saturday, when he told her that he was going home to get dressed for a party in Hayes.

Oxford lived with his grandfather and siblings.

Wisdom, who has a two-year-old daughter with Oxford, said during the conversation he promised to visit her house after he got dressed so that he could eat dinner, before going to the party.

Wisdom also told the Observer that her sister-in-law, who lives at the house with Oxford and their grandfather, said she heard about nine gunshots shortly after the constable left the house.

"But she said she 'took it as nothing'," Wisdom said.
However, Wisdom said that at midnight Oxford's brother called her to find out if the constable was at her house.

"He said that he (Oxford) was nowhere to be found, and had gone and left the car trunk and the front door by the driver's side of the car open. I told him to try to find him, as I had tried to call him and he wasn't answering," Wisdom added.

A policeman at the Rock River Police Station, who gave his name only as E C Mitchell, told the Observer that the Chapleton police notified them at approximately 3:00 am Sunday of Oxford's death. He recalled that the constable had left duty at 6:00 pm Saturday.

Added Mitchell: "He had a good relationship with his colleagues and the community."

For his part, the police commissioner noted that in the face of "these wanton attacks" on policemen and women he and the other members of the management team would continue to build morale in the force "in order to maintain our strong level of professionalism and discipline".

"I offer my profound sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of Constable Oxford," he added.

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