KINGSTON, Jamaica — Head of the Kingston Western Police Division, Senior Superintendent Michael Phipps, says there has been a lull in criminal activities in the Hannah Town area in recent times and has vowed that he and his team will do everything in their power to ensure the community maintains a sense of peace.

SSP Phipps was speaking after the staging of the Miss Hannah Town pageant in the community on Sunday. The top cop expressed that while the community is often plagued by violence, recent interventions by law enforcement have resulted in a decline in crime in the area.

“We are really proud of the Hannah Town community to see that they could have arranged such an event where everybody came out and had glowing remarks about the event,” he said of the pageant, indicating further that the community ought to be lauded for their commitment to keeping the area crime free.

“We know that communities across the Division are somewhat divided and what we have seen here tonight is really a testament to what unity and togetherness can bring. It is really remarkable that since we had that last demonstration where we brought the community together and we had some meetings, we have seen a lull in terms of crime and violence that usually plague this particular area. We are going to do everything to ensure that peace and tranquillity reigns in areas such as Hannah Town,” he continued.

SSP Phipps went on to share that with Hannah Town residents showing what can happen when communities stand for peace, he is hoping other communities will follow suit.

“The general area of Denham Town has been giving some problems. We see where there have been some incidents, especially along Oxford Street, and we are doing everything to ensure that we bring the main players to the table to find out exactly what it is that may have led to what we’re seeing in terms of an upsurge in criminal activities and we hope to really bring them back together because we’re hoping to replicate a situation like this within Denham Town and the wider Kingston Western division,” he said.

He added: “We are hoping that we’ll get the full cooperation and support of the citizens. We believe that the best intervention is the intervention of communities. Once communities say peace we know that we can have peace.”

“We are really grateful for the lead that Hannah Town has set and we’re hoping that this can be replicated right across other areas of the Division,” he ended.