ST JAMES, Jamaica — The St James Police have upped the ante in dealing with motorcyclists deemed to have breached the Road Traffic Act.

Part of that comes through the addition of five new motorcycles to the division’s traffic department allowing for more patrols on the streets in the parish.

“We have been augmented by additional motorcycles and motor vehicles and also personnel so that has basically improved our capabilities,” Operations Officer for the Division, Superintendent Lynroy Edwards told reporters in Sam Sharpe Square on Friday morning.

He was speaking on the sides of an operation taking place in the city centre where a number of motorcyclists were stopped and inquiries made about the status of their vehicles.

“We have a national effort from the Public Safety and National Enforcement Branch (PSTEB) as it relates to the reduction in road fatalities and as such we are focusing on several aspects of the Road Traffic Act,” he said.

He explained that this also adds to the work of the division in tackling the crime monster that they have managed to rein in over time but needs further work.

“Our motorcyclists, our quick response teams, we target hardcore criminals who move around on motorcycles and even motor cars, they are our focus as well,” he said.

Despite the work on Friday, it was explained that the activity has been happening since the start of the week.

“During this operation that we have started, over 70 motorcycles have been seized and over 13 persons have been arrested so far,”  Corporal Ellington Clarke of the St James police told the Observer Online.

“Just yesterday we paid special attention in the town centre and in the rural sides of St James where a total of 20 motorcycles were seized for breaches of the Road Traffic Act. Nine persons were arrested and tickets issued,” he added.

Corporal Ellington Clarke

Superintendent Lynroy Edwards

Five new motorcycles have been added to traffic department in St James