KINGSTON, Jamaica — The anti-informer culture in Jamaica is changing says Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson.

Anderson, who was speaking at a press conference on Tuesday at police headquarters, said there has been an overwhelming response from the public to calls from the constabulary to give up gunmen.

He lauded the public for the faith they have expressed in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), evidenced by the increase in tips to entities like Crime Stop.

“We would like to thank the public for responding positively to our campaigns that have sought to remove the stigma from sharing information with the police,” the commissioner said.

Statistics from Crime Stop indicate that there has been a 97 per cent increase in tips from the public for the first quarter of 2022 when compared with the same period in 2021. According to Anderson, the majority of the tips are related to illegal firearms and ammunition, gunmen, wanted persons, lottery scamming and drugs.

During the press briefing, it was revealed that in the first quarter of the year ending March 31, the JCF, in partnership with other Law Enforcement agencies, seized 223 illegal firearms compared with 195 at this point in 2021, inclusive of 37 high-powered rifles and 154 pistols.

Apart from the direct seizure of firearms and ammunition and arrests, Major General Anderson added that the tips also contributed to the overall intelligence picture and investigations of the JCF.

“It is clear that our citizens are recognising the people who are damaging our society for what they are — the architects of death, mayhem and pain,” Commissioner Anderson added.

The press briefing ended with the police commissioner encouraging people to continue using the 311 Crime Stop hotline or 811 to report illegal activities.