NEW commanding officer for the St Ann Police Division Superintendent Dwight Powell is committed to improving the performance and discipline of policemen under his charge in order to restore public order and safety in the parish.

But with just one week in his new role after being transferred from the Ports Division in Montego Bay, Superintendent Powell is already facing the heat with an increase in rape cases in the division, plus having to find ingenious ways to curb murders which increased in 2020.

However, Superintendent Powell, with 31 years of policing under his belt, believes his experience will help to turn things around in St Ann.

“I was given a mandate to work with. We are looking at some hot spots where crime and violence seems to be prevalent. The informal communities, especially of Steer Town, Mansfield Heights, Parry Town, Pimento Walk, Belair … those communities will be given specific level two community presence. When we say level two we mean increase from the normal deployment. We put measures inside there to see how best we can clear those areas of the criminal elements,” he said.

The divisional commander went on to highlight that there will be greater focus on investigations.

“I already have tasked the person in charge of crime for the division and we have met with the criminal investigation operatives. So we are looking to see how best we can make an in-road with criminal investigations, so we will put better cases before the courts. If better cases are before the courts, we hope through that we will get increased guilty verdicts. We will be working with the courts, officers and the prosecutors to see how best we can do that,” Superintendent Powell said.

Further, Superintendent Powell said he will be harnessing his inkling to community policing to help improve law and order in St Ann.

“We also hope to get in with some softer policing in terms of the Community Safety and Security (CSS) operatives. Through the CSS, we can build and maintain the relationship that we had with the public just to build confidence and reassurance to the citizens of the parish. We want to go in and gain public trust so they tell us the issues and we work through them,” he said. “One of the things I want to do in my administration is build some relationships with the public. Crime is more than the police. Crime should be an integrated approach by the community and the police. It’s working in partnership to see how best we can find solutions to the issues affecting us.”

Further, Superintendent Powell said another area of focus will be easing traffic congestion and reducing road fatalities.

Moreover, the lawman said above all, he hopes his greatest impact will be community integration.

“I work well with the community and bring integrity and ethics to the job. I use my Christian orientation to see how best we can forge those meaningful crime solution initiatives. I am grounded to the fact that I am a Christian. My philosophy is helping people once they can be helped and regardless of how challenging a situation is, I always try to be the proverbial optimist looking on the bright side of things. Starting this new administration in St Ann, I am hoping for a very successful tenure here. At the end of it I want people to remember that we were here. In terms of the murders we will find some solutions to some of the incidents. I am also hoping some of those on the verge of committing crime will turn away from their evil ways and do good,” he said.

On that note, he said he is confident things will improve as the testimonies of youth he has helped rehabilitate are the proof in the proverbial pudding.

“Many young people have come back and shared with me the impact I had on their life. I remember a young man on the verge of crime and criminality and through my intervention he managed to change his life and become a very useful member of the community. He returned sometime ago and outlined some of my interventions I did with him. Even though I can’t recall everything he said to me, it was very refreshing to hear some of the experiences. People need hope and without hope many will go on the verge of vicious incidents. It is my hope that this administration will bring some hope to the marginalised people,” Superintendent Powell said.