Increased targeted operations in Manchester, police say
MANCHESTER, Jamaica – Police in Manchester say there will be increased targeted operations to cauterise the crime wave affecting the south-central parish with external forces being deployed in search of criminals.
Superintendent Shane McCalla, head of the Manchester Police, during a peace walk in two of three central Manchester communities where a curfew was imposed over the weekend, told journalists that police are pursuing known criminals.
READ: Curfew imposed in Manchester Central
“The specialised operations and the joint anti-gang task force, they have been deployed in the parish as of yesterday (Sunday) and they have started to carry out targeted operations in a number of communities [in search] of people who we have on our radar as persons of interests and also people who we know are associated with other illicit activities,” he said.
Manchester recorded a significant increase in major categories of crime including murders, shootings and robberies in 2022 when compared to 2021.
Since the start of the year, the south-central parish has been rocked by crime – having recorded a 150 per cent increase in murders up to January 22, when compared to the corresponding period last year.
McCalla added that residents may experience some level of inconvenience during the heightened security operations.
“You will be seeing the specialised operations and anti-gang task force inside Manchester, so that is something we are asking the residents to understand, that with those operations will come some level of inconvenience with their day-to-day activities. But we will ensure that will do everything in keeping with their constitutional rights because that is paramount for us as police officers,” said McCalla.
“There are more forces here deployed to assist and push towards getting the parish back to where we want it in 2023,” he added.