HEAD of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Owen Ellington has praised cops for the reduction in crime, specifically murders. He pointed out the significant fall in serious crimes in the St Andrew South, Clarendon, Kingston Central and Westmoreland police divisions, in this week’s force orders.

“It is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved with the benefit of better training, better planning, better operations and an acute realisation of the pivotal role we play in society as enforcers of law and order,” he said.

In St Andrew South, 57 less murders in 2011 when compared to 2010 when a total of 97 was recorded.

“This is the first time in 19 years that the division recorded less than 100 murders. SSP Delroy Hewitt and his team demonstrated a very proactive approach to policing in difficult circumstances with emphasis placed on a well developed working plan and well co-ordinated operational initiatives,” he said.

The Senior superintendent Dayton Henry-led Clarendon Division recorded 75 murders last year, the first time since 1994 that murders have reached such a low level in the parish.

“Henry and all members of the division focused their attention on gangs, depriving criminals of the freedom to operate and they worked steadfastly to a predetermined policing plan,” Ellington added.

Superintendent Steve McGregor and the cops under his charge in the Kingston Central division also came in for praise from Ellington after only 18 murders were recorded there in 2011.

The division has in the last decade tallied hundreds of murders and Ellington hailed the significant reduction as an outstanding achievement.

“The cross-border initiative undertaken by McGregor with especially his counterparts from Kingston Eastern and Kingston Western divisions assisted the process of containment and is a practice which others in the JCF should use as a template for operations and disrupting the activities of mobile criminals,” he said.

Superintendents Egbert Parkins and Lascelles Taylor who head the Westmoreland and Manchester divisions respectively, were also praised for decisive leadership.

“Both divisions started 2011 with an upsurge in the number of murders. However corrective actions, including a re-assessment of gangs and their activities in the divisions, were implemented. Gang members were targeted by the operations teams and a robust effort was made to inform residents of whom the criminals were and where they were located. The strategies worked and eventually both divisions had declines in murders at year end,” Ellington said.

The murder toll was reduced in 15 of the 19 police divisions islandwide.

He said domestic murders had in St Mary in 2010 but last year 13 less murders were recorded last year.