The Trelawny Police Division staged a peace walk through the community of Wakefield on Independence Day, calling for an end to crime and violence in the area.

Commanding officer of the Trelawny Police Division, Superintendent Carlos Russell, led the walk-through and was joined by Member of Parliament for Trelawny Northern Tova Hamilton, justices of the peace, representatives from the Trelawny Municipal Corporation and the Social Development Commission, and other agencies.

In his remarks, Superintendent Russell encouraged the residents to work with the police and report all criminal activities.

“I know that a lot of citizens are worried, and we are just here to assure citizens that we are here to work with you and also to encourage you to work with your local police,” he said.

“Violence is not good for any community at all. I know that a lot of you have invested millions of dollars in your homes and a lot of us, including myself, cannot afford to run away from where we live. So, we have a vested interest in our community to ensure that peace reigns,” he added.

Superintendent Russell also said that the Wakefield Police Station now has a new commander, Sergeant Berhane Barnes.

He urged the residents to get familiar with Sergeant Barnes and work with him to return Wakefield to the peaceful community it was before.

“We just need to speak to our brothers and our sisters for them to consider their neighbours and their family because sometimes it is the family [members] who are affected,” Superintendent Russell explained.

“Peace, that is all we want…peace in the community. Sergeant Barnes is the new station commander and I know he is willing to work with you to ensure that you have a safe community,” he added.

Justice of the peace and representative of Wakefield Neighbourhood Watch Morlett Schloss said youths must come together for a crime-free community.

She encouraged the residents to speak to their JPs if they see something “because we are going to be on it.”

— JIS