The Jamaica Constabulary Force has moved to clarify the attribution of major crimes reported in Portland since the start of the year, following pronouncements made on social media about incidents in the parish.

The police, in a statement obtained by the Jamaica Observer yesterday, said that since January, 12 murders and five shootings had been reported in the parish, none of which have had political undertones or connections.

“In fact, an increase in the migration of displaced criminal suspects, as well as domestic and rival gang conflicts, have led to heightened operations by the Portland police to maintain law and order,” the police said in the statement issued by its information arm, the Constabulary Communication Unit.

“This vigilance to detect and deter displaced criminal suspects resulted in eight men from Denham Town, Kingston, being picked up and processed in Orange Bay, Portland, on August 15, 2018. It was determined that the men were not wanted. They were subsequently released.

“The police also remain alert to instances of domestic and rival gang conflicts, and continue to implement measures to cauterise such occurrences. In one such incident on August 18, 2018, two men were shot and injured by armed men on foot in the Buff Bay area of Portland. Investigators theorise that the shooting emanated from a long-standing conflict over the control of turf between rival factions within the community.

“The police are also investigating several leads, to include threats of a domestic nature which were made against Ms Stacey-Ann Wellington, who was shot dead by unknown assailant(s) on October 14 at Olivier Street, Buff Bay, Portland. Several statements have been collected on this matter and investigators continue to probe. The police are appealing to citizens to play their part by providing information on criminal incidents by calling Crime Stop at 311, the 119 emergency.

In response, Member of Parliament for Portland Western Daryl Vaz warned against “dangerous and desperate insinuations and innuendoes” on the matter by a political opponent, saying that he would await a further report on the issue.

“I’m not surprised at the contents of the police findings. I have been MP for 11 years and my track record is there to be examined. I will await the political ombudsman’s report,” Vaz said.