POLICE in Area Four have warned that they will be coming down hard on criminals who may want to prey on shoppers and establishments in the business and market districts in the Corporate Area, particularly during the Christmas period.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Micheal Phipps, who is in charge of Area Four, told a press conference at the downtown Kingston offices of Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) last Thursday that the police “will not tolerate the presence of anyone whose behaviour will impact negatively on our intention to ensure a very safe period for all”.

“I want to issue a warning, especially to those with ill-intent who want to perpetrate acts of criminality, that our intolerance levels will be at its highest against them as we will go hard at all robbers, extortionists and gangsters who may choose to play out their conflicts in these spaces.

“In other words, this particular grouping will be the focus of our attention, and we will be coming very hard at them. In the same breath, we will seek to do some target hardening, especially around our shoppers and business operations,” he said.

Phipps said focus on these particular set of criminals is part of the Area Four police’s action plan — which they began rolling out on November 18 and that will run until January 6 — to provide increased security for the festive season.

“The action plan has elements which treat with a number of issues usually affecting public spaces, especially at this time of year. We will be placing particular focus on the suppression of criminal activities; overt and covert security forces presence; managing vendors and general vending activities; traffic management with the focus of alleviating congestion; minimise public disorder and provide a sense of safety and citizen security; and curtail the movements of criminals who choose to go across the space,” he said.

Phipps said that the activities under the plan are being supported by the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) Specialized Operations Division, Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), KSAMC, and stakeholders from the business community.

“The aim is really to address the potential issues that we may face during this period. In doing that, we have developed a very holistic approach which seeks to incorporate the resources necessary, and we will seek, as part of our main objectives, to disrupt criminal activities by dominating public spaces [that includes the townships, shopping centres, transportation centres] without any inconvenience to law-abiding citizens and any abuse of their rights,” he said.

Among the specific measures, the police intend to suppress criminal activity within business districts by establishing vehicular checkpoints and creating people checkpoints; searching suspicious people in town centres and bus parks; as well as searching taxis, buses, and vehicles suspected to be conveying people with ill intent.

“We will be enhancing proximity policing through high visibility and contact with citizens. We will be executing planned operations and spontaneous policing operations and activities in [those] communities and business districts known to be frequented by criminals. We will [also] be sensitising and promptly notifying other essential services about any major developments relating to crime or disasters,” Phipps said.

In the meantime, in providing some safety tips for the period Phipps advised that, where possible, people are encouraged to walk with someone else, preferably in groups. Groups of three or more people are usually recommended as criminals are less likely to target persons in groups.

“We want you to keep your mobile phone, your cash and other valuables out of sight whilst in public spaces. If you withdraw large sums of cash from the bank or ABM, we ask that you secure the bulk of that cash before you go shopping, as you may never know who is watching or following you. We want you to avoid displaying large sums of money in public spaces,” he said.

In addition, Phipps advised people to choose carefully who they ask for directions when they are in unfamiliar settings, to be aware of their surroundings, and to look confident like they know where they are going, even if they don’t.

People are also advised not to leave laptops and other electronic devices on the passenger seat of their car while the vehicle is left unattended, and to always take the route that they know best, even if there may be shorter alternatives.

“Adults, we are asking that you closely monitor your children so that they don’t get lost — we see where this happens frequently across all spaces at this time of the year. Business operators, we want to ask you to make contact with our police department if you’re moving large sums of cash — and we do this escort free of cost,” said Phipps.