MONTEGO BAY, St James — Councillor for the Rose Hall Division Anthony Murray has called for more support for the police to allow them to tackle the crime problem in the Barrett Town area of his division.

“Barrett Town area needs proper policing,” Murray declared during the monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation last Thursday.

“At the Barrett Town Police Station there is only one working service vehicle, which is inadequate,” added Murray.

He argued that the Toyota Axio motor vehicle which is assigned to the Barrett Town police is less than ideal to cover the type of terrain in the areas that need policing.

“We need additional vehicles and we won’t relent until that happens” warned Murray.

He later told the Jamaica Observer that the cops need to do a lot more to reduce the increasingly worrisome level of crime in the community.

Murray added that two policemen had been removed from the police station earlier this year and his calls for their replacement have been in vain.

“I want them back,” Murray said, adding that the area has been seeing a steady increase in criminal activity.

“There have been three shootings in Lilliput, and five shooting incidents in Grange Pen in the past week. The police need to step up, we need to see more feet on the ground.”

He explained that there are more than 20 communities in the division and about 12,000 residents to be served.

“The communities that police station serves include Barrett Town, Greenwood, Palmyra, Spot Valley, Rhyne Park, and Paisley. Staffing is inadequate in the division; in all there are only 15 police officers and two detectives,” he pointed out.

“I am recommending that they increase the number of policemen and women in the area. Bear in mind that they work on shifts, so at no time at all you will have all 15 working. I will not stop my calls until these issues are appropriately addressed,” declared Murray.