KINGSTON, Jamaica — Members of the Police High Command and other senior managers of the Jamaica Constabulary Force met this morning at the Office of the Commissioner of Police to examine the escalating crime situation in St James and develop a Strategic Policing Plan for the parish for 2018.

According to a release from the JCF, the meeting concluded with the resolve to have greater presence in public spaces and to increase public order activities, especially around illegal vending and traffic congestion in Montego Bay.

Further to that, it was accepted that the JCF will continue to maintain all critical elements of its security apparatus, while deploying its resources effectively to provide the highest levels of security for all Jamaicans.

Areas discussed included:

1. Improving intelligence capacity

2. Enhancing investigative capabilities

3. Greater use of technology to assist with investigations

4. Reviewing and redefining the divisional command and staff structure

5. Increasing collaboration with local, regional and international law enforcement agencies, especially on transnational and financial crimes

6. Strengthening partnerships with various public and private sector stakeholders

7. Enhancing community collaboration with community stakeholders and groups

8. Boosting the morale of staff through increased training and development for persons within the Division

9. The Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch (C-TOC) and the Major Organised Crime and Anti- Corruption Agency (MOCA) were jointly tasked to aggressively tackle organised and financial crime. MOCA will be refocusing their efforts on issues of police corruption.

The JCF said these changes, among many others, will go a long way in helping us to achieve the objective of building safer and more secure communities, and we will be relying on the support of every Jamaican.

It also implored the public “to tell what you know, and give up criminals and their guns”.

The public is reminded “not to create a safe haven for criminal elements as this may put them at risk of becoming victims of crime due to their association” with such nefarious persons or groups.