MINISTER of National Security Dr Horace Chang had high praise for a Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) team which foiled a robbery in Negril Square, Westmoreland, last week, as he pointed to the importance of the police using effective intelligence and having increased mobility to stay ahead of criminals.

Chang, who was handing over 40 motor vehicles to the JCF during a ceremony at the Office of the Commissioner of Police on Wednesday, said the police, in that thwarted robbery, “demonstrated their full operational capacity, intelligence, skill and effective execution of interrupting one of the most organised and dangerous criminal groups operating in Jamaica and took out a number of them”.

Initial reports were that on Friday, July 26, between 6:00 am and 10:00 am, members of the JCF’s Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC) acting on intelligence, intercepted multiple vehicles, resulting in a shootout. Four of five suspected robbers were killed during the operation. Six weapons were seized during the incident including three high-powered rifles.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey later told the nation that the suspected robbers were believed to be part of a criminal organisation that has been targeting Beryllium Limited.

“I want to commend the commissioner and his team, and all the officers who were involved in that particular activity. The actual operation demonstrates [that the] police, while carrying out their crucial duty, is always at risk. The men were armed as any military operation and military team with assault rifles, automatic weapons and they did not carry them for show. If the [police]men were not trained to operate effectively and efficiently, you could have had additional activities there. We were very happy there was no casualty to the police force and we were able to begin the process of disrupting some very dangerous criminals,” said Chang.

He pointed out that based on the quality of work the police had done in preparing for that operation, they were able to detain another six people who are involved and are likely to apprehend more as they pursue the investigation and prosecution of these criminals.

The security minister said the incident underscored how crucial adequate mobility is for the police, supported by good communication and effective intelligence.

“Mobility is not only crucial for dealing with highway patrols, but the criminals themselves demonstrated again by some of the events taking place in recent times that they are also very mobile. There are criminals from the Corporate Area executing criminal activity in Manchester, Clarendon as well as some of those criminals we have identified in Negril were from Clarendon, Westmoreland, [and elsewhere],” he said.

Chang noted that during this week there were two homicides in St James where the victims hailed from outside the parish, with one from Westmoreland, and the other from Hanover.

“I mentioned these because it demonstrates the criminals themselves are moving around. They are not only exercising their own intelligence, but they are far more mobile, and therefore the police have to be in a position to respond efficiently and deploy effectively by having more dynamic deployments across the island, including the highway patrol, which has to deal with those traversing our roadways,” said Chang.

Further highlighting the increased mobility of criminals, Chang pointed out that in the last three months or so, about 70 per cent of homicides in Jamaica have been as a result of drive-by shootings.

“Which means our officers have to be out there…in protecting the society and disrupting the killers, [by being] on the road, literally and in close proximity to these activities to respond in a way that we can apprehend them, intercept them, hopefully sometime before, but once they carry out their nefarious activity, we’re in a position to respond quickly and effectively,” said Chang.

He noted that Jamaica recorded more than 1,000 murders last year and argued that quick and effective apprehension and prosecution are primarily what will disrupt violence-producing actors in society.

“So while we pursue…a lot of the soft processes…we have to have highly trained, properly equipped police officers dealing with heavily armed criminal actors who play by no rules,” declared Chang.

According to Chang, the current 15 per cent reduction in homicides recorded so far this year, when compared to last year, “suggests we are disrupting the criminal actors and putting them on the backfoot”.

In the meantime, addressing the handing-over ceremony, Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake said the additional motor vehicles are an investment in the national security toolkit that the police do not take lightly.

“We recognise the responsibility to safely and strategically use these assets to maintain law and order by actively intercepting and engaging those whose sole intent is to disrupt and cause mayhem,” said Blake.

He said the other areas of focus for the vehicles, apart from highway patrol, are the JCF’s area Fugitive Apprehension Team and Operational Support Team which will become more mobile, more agile, and more relentless in curtailing criminal activities.

“We will continue to invest in the necessary training and resources to ensure that [criminals] are denied all opportunities to wreak havoc in our communities. And in the same breath, I want to urge our police officers to use these assets responsibly, giving due care to their upkeep and maintenance.

“Our mobility is key to saving lives and we will put these vehicles to work as we continue to help keep our people safe. Our commitment to public safety remains resolute, and we stand united in our collective efforts to ensure the well-being of our country as we remain a force for good,” added Blake.