MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Assistant Commissioner of Police Christopher Phillips says Area Three is set to undergo major strategy changes and greater enforcement amid a crackdown on criminal activity, particularly lottery scamming linked to murders.

“We are going to be launching Operation Reset across Area Three, and it intends to be one that takes a zero-tolerance posture. We will regain firm control of our policing areas, and we will push back against criminality and stand firm against disputes that threaten lives and livelihoods,” he said on Monday at the Mandeville Police Civic Committee’s annual general meeting and top cop awards function in Ingleside, Mandeville.

Pointing to statistics so far this year compared to the corresponding period last year in Area Three, Phillips said the rise in murders and shootings are of major concern in Manchester, Clarendon and St Elizabeth.

“Murder increased 55 per cent, from 34 to 52 cases, and shooting 15 per cent, from 34 to 39 cases. Murder and shooting together account for 23 additional cases year on year,” he explained.

Those recognised by the Mandeville Police Civic Committee for the 2025 to 2026 period are detective constables Passionique Weller and Keonia Dixon-Rowe; Sergeant Alrick Brown; corporals Rayon Thompson and Daston Ennis; and constables Fabian Lewis, Tommonique Senior and Paul Hendricks.

In commending the eight top cops, ACP Phillips reminded them of the relentless approach in tackling criminals.

“The reset for us must mean that we are going to reclaim our spaces. We are going to enforce the law without fear or favour. A zero tolerance for violence, gangs and disorder. Secure intelligence. Every member is a sensor,” he said.

He also called on citizens to maintain their partnership with the police.

“We want you to share the information with us — and we are going to act swiftly to close those gaps. We are going to be engaging the public. Gone are the days when commanders hide in their office because the camera is outside. Those days are over. We must have commanders who will confront the people and engage the people. Let them be a part of the solution,” he said.

He said lottery scammers linked to violent crimes in Manchester, Clarendon and St Elizabeth are being targeted by the police.

“We are going to be targeting offenders [through] focused operations…. I have been studying Area Three for six months now and I think I have a fairly good understanding of where we need to go, and those scammers who migrate from some other places because it was so uncomfortable for them to stay. I want Manchester citizens to join me and tell them that Manchester is going to get uncomfortable. St Elizabeth is going to get uncomfortable for these players. Clarendon is going to get uncomfortable, because we are going to focus our efforts around them. Anywhere you have these scammers [there is] gunplay [and] violence, and we shan’t have it anymore in Manchester and, by extension, Area Three,” he said to applause from his audience.

He also pointed to the changing of the guard in Manchester, with commanding officer Superintendent Carey Duncan being transferred to the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch, and the division’s operations deputy superintendent officer Luhas Daniels who will take up his new duties in the St Andrew South Police Division. Deputy Superintendent Odean Dennis will assume the role of commander for Manchester while Deputy Superintendent Valdin Amos is the new operations officer for Manchester.

“I know that Supt Duncan and DSP Daniels will continue to give their best. I want to publicly acknowledge their efforts during the time they were here. Policing is always a challenge and they have done their best. We have seen positives, we have seen areas that we can work on…” said Phillips.

He said Manchester has been in a fight with criminal activity.

“We have seen murders, shootings, robberies and praedial larceny that steals from the very farmers who feed us. We have recovered firearms and ammunition. We have lost young men in fatal confrontations, and we have also apprehended violence producers who thought they were untouchable.

“But here is the truth, no police force in the world can arrest its way to peace,” he said while reinforcing the partnership through community safety.

He said gun violence and interpersonal conflicts continue to fuel murders in Area Three.

“We want to prioritise gun violence response. The gun continues to be a problem, and when I deep dive into the data I recognise that 50 per cent of our murders this year were attributed to interpersonal conflicts, disputes, murders taking place in some places where we [need to] have the police living right there,” said Phillips.

Area Three Assistant Commissioner of Police Christopher Phillips addressing the Mandeville Police Civic Committee annual general meeting and top cop awards function in Ingleside, Mandeville, on Monday. (Photo: Kasey Williams)