PEPPER, St Elizabeth — Against the backdrop of interpersonal conflicts, including land disputes, resulting in sometimes deadly violence in St Elizabeth, head of the police division in the parish Superintendent Coleridge Minto is urging residents, particularly relatives, to amicably resolve issues and seek legal counsel.

“Disputes over property such as land can be very challenging and, in fact, can lead to threats and violence. Persons with land disputes will need to seek legal advice and to have those matters resolved, perhaps in the courts,” Minto said Saturday night at the parish’s Justices of the Peace Association annual awards banquet.

His comments came after the recent demolition of a two-bedroom house in Bull Savannah in what is believed to be a rift between cousins. Following investigations the police have submitted a file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for a ruling on that matter.

Minto urged justices of the peace to pay close attention to disputes involving family members and when intimate partners have serious conflicts.

“These matters can deteriorate rapidly, especially where there is a history of abuse, threats, jealousy, substance misuse, or access to weapons. Early intervention, proper referrals, and timely reporting can save lives,” argued Minto.

He pointed to year-to-date crime statistics for the parish and underscored that while there has been an overall reduction in major crimes, murders have increased significantly when compared to last year.

“Since the start of this year the St Elizabeth [Police] Division has recorded a total of 131 crimes when compared to 171 for 2025. This is an overall reduction of 23 per cent. Robberies are down 33 per cent, rape down 25 per cent, shootings down 30 per cent, aggravated assault down 50 per cent, larceny down 47 per cent, [and] break-ins down 23 per cent. The division, however, has recorded 22 murders in comparison to nine for the corresponding period,” Minto pointed out.

“An analysis of the murders shows that approximately 60 per cent… are attributed to interpersonal conflicts that occurred in the home. Even more concerning is the fact that several of these incidents involved relatives,” added Minto.

He cited two incidents of interpersonal disputes about which he was informed while travelling to the awards function.

“On my way here this evening I got a call that two brothers had a fight and one stabbed the other. He was rushed to the Black River Hospital and he is being treated. I got another call that several boys attacked a male on the southern side of the parish. He was stabbed, beaten, and rushed to the Mandeville [Regional] Hospital.

“I share this for you to understand the gravity of the problem we face in this parish as it relates to disputes. Some of these conflicts could have been resolved peacefully if intervention had taken place at an earlier stage,” said Minto

He urged the justices of the peace to identify conflicts early and encourage people to seek assistance before disagreements become threats, assaults, or acts of violence.

“I am making a special appeal to our justices of the peace to continue to engage the members of our communities and to assist in promoting peaceful resolution of disputes. Encourage individuals to communicate respectfully; exercise restraint; seek mediation, counselling, or other lawful forms of assistance when conflict arises,” Minto added.