POLICE Chief Lucius Thomas yesterday vowed to take back the streets from marauding criminals who have so far killed 143 persons this year, a 23 per cent jump over the 116 murders recorded for the corresponding period for 2006.

Thomas, speaking at a press conference at the Police Officers Club in Kingston, outlined strategies to be implemented by the constabulary which he said would make life uncomfortable for those who break the law.

“We will take better control of our roads, tighten operating procedures and efficiencies and use intelligence to combat crime in a more proactive manner,” Thomas told reporters.

The expected increase of the police on the roads could mean an increase in the 44,000 spot checks which the commissioner said were conducted last year, which saw one million vehicles and persons being checked islandwide and 18,000 arrests made.

In the meantime, the police chief yesterday predicted a further seven per cent drop in the number of killings for 2007, despite a sharp rise in murders since the start of the year.

Despite the drop in murders last year, a number of citizens have expressed fear mainly because of the brazen and callous nature in which criminals have been operating. To allay these fears, Thomas said the police would be redoubling their efforts to hunt down known gangsters who have been creating mayhem in the society.

“Once we have identified troublemakers or wrongdoers, we will keep a close watch on them, pursuing them relentlessly using available intelligence gathering and surveillance mechanisms to ensure that airtight cases are compiled,” Thomas said.

Meanwhile, Thomas, while cautioning his men on the use of force, urged them to stand up to the criminals.

“You can readily discern that we will do everything possible to reduce the incidence of police fatal shootings, but I will never tell my men and women to cower in the face of brazen attacks by criminals. Never!” Thomas said.

He also announced plans to increase the constabulary’s hot spot policing strategy to cover all divisions across the island, following its success in Kingston and St Andrew and St Catherine, and which saw a 30 per cent reduction in murders in the three parishes.

Thomas announced, too, that the police would be revamping the Witness Support Unit beginning with the appointment of a superintendent to oversee its operations. The unit is expected to offer advice and training for officers to deal with witnesses. The unit will also provide moral support to witnesses.

Among other measures announced by the police chief yesterday were:

. The creation of an islandwide electronic criminal database and an overhaul of the police telecommunication system.

. The merger of the Narcotics and Canine divisions for more efficient policing of the air and sea ports.

. Increased ganja eradication and seizure programmes to counter the marijuana for guns trade in the island’s territorial waters.

. Acquisition of licence plate reading technology.

. Strengthening of the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offenses and Child Abuse.

. The bolstering of the Organised Crime Investigative Division to include financial crimes investigation in collaboration with the Financial Investigation Unit; and

. The revamping of the recruitment process to include mandatory drug tests for new recruits.

But the police commissioner also had pleas for assistance from the government and members of the public.

At present, the police can only fingerprint a member of the public who has been charged with a criminal offence, and Thomas yesterday called on the administration to enact legislation which would empower the constabulary to collect DNA samples from these persons. He also called on the wider society to join the police in the DNA crusade.

“I assure you this will significantly increase our ability to identify suspects for serious crimes and make sure that those who are innocent are excluded,” Thomas said.

He also called for the law governing the police force to be adjusted to allow the police commissioner to fire police officers who have lost the confidence of their colleagues.

In addition, he said inadequate accommodation and training facilities at the Police Academy in Twickenham Park, St Catherine have long been a sore point for the police, and he repeated earlier calls for the facility to be upgraded and more classrooms constructed.