MAY PEN, Clarendon — Noting two recent cases of wanted men seeking solace in the parish, commanding officer for Clarendon Superintendent of Police Carlos Russell is urging residents to keep an eye out for miscreants who may move in next door to them.

“We are asking citizens in the communities to be on the lookout for migrant criminals coming into their spaces. We have persons who work in adjoining parishes and when they leave at 5:00 am they are not back until 9:00 pm sometimes, so some may not know what is happening in the community,” he noted.

Russell was addressing Thursday’s sitting of the Clarendon Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting.

“Yesterday [Wednesday] we had an incident in the Longville Park area where a wanted man from the St Thomas area was shot and killed by the police. It’s the second wanted person since I’ve been here that was found in that space,” stated Russell as he underscored the need to strengthen citizens’ associations and other community groups.

Bull Bay warlord Nesta “Bigga Crime” Morrison was shot dead by security forces in Clarendon on Wednesday, eliciting sighs of relief among some former residents of the 11 Miles, Bull Bay, area known as Lane 8. Morrison was the alleged leader of the Tankwell Hill gang which operates out of 11 Miles on the St Andrew/St Thomas border. He was placed on the police’s most wanted list two years ago and a series of operations were launched to capture him, even as he defied orders from the police to turn himself in.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in Charge of Crime Fitz Bailey confirmed that he had been killed in an intelligence-driven operation in Longville Park.

On Thursday, Superintendent Russell made the point that most of the more than 20,000 people living in Longville Park work outside their community and others sublet their property, so it can be relatively easy for unsavoury characters to gain access and go unnoticed.

“You’ll find that persons will infiltrate these communities. They’re always looking for communities like these where they can come and blend in, so we have to be proactive in how we operate,” he said.

He urged councillors to continue to encourage residents to support their local police, even as he acknowledged the challenges they face because of inadequate resources.

During the meeting, Councillor Scean Barnswell (PNP, Hayes Division) commended the security forces for the work they have been doing.

“These criminals are very brazen. Where [Morrison] was taken out was just a block away from the Longville Park Police Station — that’s how brave they will be. They will come and live right beside you, so it is important for persons — especially in housing schemes — to be aware of who is moving in beside you so you can be at peace [that] when you gone to work nobody will break your house, or steal your car, or molest your family members.”