Commissioner of Police Dr Carl Williams has expressed grave concerns over the recent upsurge of crime and violence in the normally peaceful parish of Westmoreland, where a record 110 murders were committed last year.

The parish was ranked with the fourth highest number of murders recorded across the country in 2015.

“Savanna-la-Mar and Westmoreland used to be known as a peaceful town and a peaceful parish (respectively). Not many years ago we never used to have these problems. We used to send police officers down here and never used to worry about the spate of crimes and so on. But things started to change a little over a decade ago. Change for the worse, to the point where last year we had some 110 murders committed in Westmoreland. That was a record high. That is the first time in history,” the police commissioner said.

He expressed astonishment over last week’s gun attack on the Morgan’s Bridge Police Station in Grange Hill in the parish by gunmen who were chasing a man who sought refuge at the facility.

“I saw a disturbing situation on the weekend… where a man ran into the police station in Grange Hill – we call it Morgan’s Bridge – for refuge. He was chased by criminals who opened fire on the police station,” the police commissioner said.

“Now we are not accustomed to anything like that in Westmoreland. This never happened here before. Denham Town is the place that is usually shot up by criminals from time to time. And in recent times we haven’t seen that in Denham Town. The criminals are much more well-behaved. This (Westmoreland) is now the hot spot. This is where it is at.”

Dr Williams noted that social decay, coupled with the proliferation of guns and gangs are some of the factors driving the spate of murders and other heinous crimes reported across the parish.

The police commissioner, who was speaking on Monday at a town hall meeting in Westmoreland’s capital, Savanna-la-Mar, urged the residents to partner with the police in restoring law and order in the parish.

“I am here appealing to the community that if you want back your parish, if you want back your town, Savanna-la-Mar, if you want back those peaceful, idyllic community like up in Welcome…, if you want them back, you are going to have to be prepared to work with us,” Williams implored the residents.

“We are here extending our hands to you to ask you to join with us in partnership, to get this community and this parish back,” he added.

New minister of national security, Robert Montague also addressed the meeting.