People who run afoul of the law and attempt to seek refuge in gated communities are getting a blunt message from the police: High walls and security guards offer no sanctuary from the long arm of the law.

“If criminals are in gated communities and they think that they are in a safe haven, it is a false sense of security, because the police might just be knocking on your door anytime now,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Josephs, who heads the Criminal Investigation Branch, told the
Jamaica Observer.

His caution follows the arrest of one of the nation’s most wanted men, 43-year-old Courtney Ashley, otherwise called Bloodstain, during a targeted operation in Phoenix Park Village II, Portmore, St Catherine, on Monday, January 12.

Police say Ashley is the leader of the Bottom Maverley Gang and was wanted for the 2017 murder of Andrew Foster as well as a shooting on Fenbrook Avenue in St Andrew.

The 43-year-old was featured prominently in the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Wanted Wednesdays campaign and had also been listed as a person of interest for several years in relation to other cases.

Two other individuals were arrested during the operation.

Ashley has since been charged with murder, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition.

“We want to sound the alarm to criminals anywhere that if you think you are in safe havens in these communities, you are wrong, because we are going to be finding you, and we are going to be continuing to do our best to rid [the country of] criminals wherever they are, whether they are in gated communities or otherwise, so that we can create safe havens everywhere for decent, law-abiding persons,” Josephs said.

He noted that police have arrested a number of individuals within gated communities which, he said, is indicative of the force’s ability to locate wanted people wherever they are.

Josephs, however, called for more rigorous security checks within gated communities.

“They need to have a more rigorous security check for persons going into these communities, because in some of these communities, if a car turns up at the gate sometimes the security is only taking the particulars of the driver, and sometimes the car has five other persons inside there,” he said.

Additionally, Josephs urged residents, through their citizens’ associations, to be vigilant and report any “unusual” or “abnormal” activity within their communities.

“If you’re at home and you see something next door that is unusual or abnormal, reach out to law enforcement so that we can check it out, because you never know who is next door to you. This is not just in gated communities; this is anywhere in Jamaica. You have to be vigilant while you’re at home and look out for your neighbour,” he urged.

When the Sunday Observer reached out to the president of Phoenix Park Village II Citizens’ Association, she declined to comment on the matter.

However, Andre Brown, president of Phoenix Park Village I Citizens’ Association, said some residents have expressed concern following the capture of Bloodstain, but noted that the situation is not unique to the Phoenix Park Village communities.

“Yes, there are some residents who have expressed concerns, and… alarm that such persons are living there, but like I mentioned earlier, these [wanted] persons live in Cherry Garden, they live in Beverly Hills, they live all over the country,” Brown said.

He maintained that Phoenix Park Village communities remain safe, citing established security protocols for people entering and exiting the community, in addition to 24-hour camera surveillance.

“What it really says about Phoenix Park Village I or II is that these communities are in fact safe, gated, quiet, and wonderful communities to live in. It’s the reason why persons of whatever background or nature seem to be seeking out and trying to get these places to live in. Whether it be entertainers, bank managers, doctors or lawyers, these kinds of people live in Phoenix Park Village,” Brown added.

He, however, pointed to gaps in security protocols, such as security guards becoming too familiar with visitors.

“We have inherited what I believe are guard issues; guards being too familiar with persons. How we have addressed that really is to readjust the intercom system so there’s no physical exchange between security and visitors,” Brown said.

He also pointed to other challenges, such as the consistent breaking of barriers within the community.

“We’ve already taken steps to have those corrected and really to strengthen the security system and the security apparatus in the community. Recently, with Hurricane Melissa passing through, a number of large trees on the outer bands of the community fell, and our barbed wire, for example, some of those were broken. We have already taken steps to have those addressed,” Brown said.

He also said that plans are in place to expand the network of cameras across the community.

Brown further noted that residents have been active within their community groups in reporting suspicious incidents, adding that collaboration among residents led to the police intercepting robbers in Phoenix Park Village Phase III last month.

“I must say the residents are very active in terms of communicating amongst themselves and privately as well as with neighbours. Some time ago there was an incident, I think it was on December 11, where there was a shooting incident between the police and a suspected robber inside the community. That was really the work of community members in collaboration with the police that stopped that person from being a plague to our community,” Brown said.

The police report on that incident said that men allegedly broke into a home in the community on December 10; however, they were intercepted by the police while fleeing. One of the men was shot by the lawmen, while the other escaped.