JCF says normalcy being returned to Spanish Town following shooting death of reputed gang leader
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says normalcy is gradually being returned to the old capital, Spanish Town in St Catherine even as lawmen in and around the area remain vigilant following the shooting death of a reputed member of the Klansman Gang.
Sheldon Walters, otherwise known as ‘Termite’ was reportedly shot dead in the Top Bank community of Spanish Town on Friday night. The suspected gang leader, who reportedly led the Top Bank faction of the remnants of the One Don faction of the Klansman gang, was killed by members of the St Catherine North Police division.
Since Walters’ death, the area has been tense, with the police reportedly receiving numerous threats of retaliation from gang members.
READ: Reputed gang leader ‘Termite’ shot dead in Spanish Town
However, in a release on Monday, the JCF said while it is maintaining a strong presence in the St Catherine North division, a visit to the affected area on Monday by Superintendent of Police Hopton Nicholson, Commanding Officer for the St Catherine North Division; showed signs of regularity between commuters and businesses.
“We anticipate that full normalcy will return soon, in the meantime, the police and the military will be carrying out high visibility patrols and maintaining a presence in the area to ensure that law and order are preserved,” Nicholson said.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Christopher Phillips, Area Commander of Area 5; who was also present for the visit, expressed that while a strong sense of anxiety and panic still exists among residents, the public is being urged to trust the police force to keep them safe.
“We want to ask persons to trust the judgment of the police and pay attention to the advisory coming from the police via our social media pages. I can tell you that there is normalcy in the town now and the deployment will continue. So, remain calm. We have things under control,” SSP Phillips assured.
SSP Phillips further expressed the JCF’s dedication to the dismantling of gangs.
“It doesn’t matter which gang, we’re going to go after the gangs, gunmen and guns out there because they are destroying our society,” he said.
Meanwhile, the JCF and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) have deployed personnel in the parish to ensure peace, security, and public order within the area.
