THE police in St Elizabeth have embarked on a series of joint operations in Accompong and several adjoining communities, targeting wanted men and prohibited weapons.

Coleridge Minto, the superintendent of police in charge of the parish, told the Jamaica Observer on Tuesday that wherever these men and prohibited weapons are, cops will continue to hunt for them.

He explained that the police have decided to turn up the heat in terms of operations, due to concerns about a rise in serious crimes.

The Observer received reports on Tuesday that no less than 14 police service vehicles went to Accompong in the morning as part of the operations.

Minto said that the targeted communities include Thornton, Siloah, Maggotty and Aberdeen.

“A number of communities have been targeted for operational activities, which also includes Accompong. The operation [on Tuesday] was a joint operation which included members of the St Elizabeth Division, the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch, the Area 3 Apprehension Team, and Specialised Operations. All of those teams are supporting,” Minto told the Observer.

The senior cop said the people targeted are wanted for various crimes or are persons of interest.

“Some of them were targeted for crimes such as break-ins and prohibited weapons — those are the kinds of objectives for the operation. There was a fatal shooting on Friday night. Some of the associates connected to the person shot by the police were also targeted as part of this operation [in Accompong]. Wherever they are, irrespective of the community, we are going into those communities,” Minto said, indicating that men were picked up and taken into custody but could not say at the time whether they were picked up from Accompong or an adjoining community.

Minto said that one man was picked up in Accompong on Saturday during another operation, and pointed out that Tuesday’s operation was a “continuation of a series of operations occurring in and around the area”.

The commander expressed that despite an increase in crime in the communities adjoining Accompong, the St Elizabeth police are making strides in terms of arrests and charges being laid.

“One man was recently charged with robbery with aggravation. We had a chopping murder some weeks ago and the man eventually turned in himself and was charged for murder somewhere on the road to Accompong. We are on it. We are going anywhere we need to go where crimes are taking place,” Minto said.

On Tuesday two residents of Accompong decried what has been occurring in the space, especially in recent times.

“What is happening in Accompong is different from what used to happen. We have never seen this type of violent scenario in Accompong. The community is on edge and the people are afraid to talk. I too am afraid, and that is why some of us don’t want our names to be on record to say we said anything negative,” the Accompong resident expressed.

Another resident expressed hope that the Government of Jamaica can collaborate properly with Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake to have the police eradicate “these wrongdoings”.

“Some people are scared to give statements to the police,” the resident claimed.