HANOVER, Jamaica – Head of the Area One Police Division, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Clifford Chambers, has urged justices of the peace in Hanover to intensify mediation process in their communities.

He noted that six of the eight murders committed in the parish up to last week, were either domestic or interpersonal, which, he said, police efforts could not avoid.

The motive for the other two murders he stated was undetermined.

He was addressing the general meeting of the Hanover Lay Magistrates Association in Lucea last week.

ACP Chambers said the police have made major inroads in its anti-gang policing activities, thereby impacting all five gangs operating in the parish. These include the 100-Rounds, One Voice, One Link, and the Ants Nest gangs.

He said in 2022, Hanover ended the year with 139 major crimes, compared with 124 committed in 2021. The murder tally in 2022 stood at 44, when compared to 46 in 2021.

ACP Chambers said in 2022 there were more operations conducted, more arrests made, more guns recovered -23 as opposed to 16 the previous year – and more ammunition- 187 when compared to 167 – during 2021.

He said as at March 4 this year, three firearms and 17 rounds of ammunition were seized in the parish by police.