POLICE have vowed to intensify their presence in schools across the island starting today, the beginning of the new educational year. Police said the latest review of the Safe Schools Initiative, designed to stem violence in institutions of learning, has shown that incidents of gang violence and extortion continue to be problems in schools.

“During the period September last year to March of this year, police responded to a reported 125 cases of extortion and 95 cases of student gang intimidation,” Stephanie Lindsay Clarke of the Community Safety Branch told the Observer.

Superintendent James Forbes, head of the Community Safety Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said 81 schools were involved in the programme.

Police said that based on findings they had met with several school officials to discuss the problems.

“Out of these meetings, the police have carried out their assessment and have fine tuned their plans to move forward,” Forbes told the Observer.

Cops say under the period mentioned there were several reports of students operating in junior gangs.

These gangs would bear the same name as the major gangs in the society.

Lawmen said they also had to respond to a reported 267 cases of threats, 169 cases of assault, 159 cases of simple larceny in schools.

Three hundred contraband items were also seized during the period.

Among items seized were several knives, imitation firearms and other dangerous instruments.

One hundred and thirty students were apprehended and some of them counselled.