MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — The Trelawny police are reporting a 62.5 per cent decline in murders in the parish for the first three months of 2021.

Divisional Commander, Superintendent Carlos Russell, said that three murders were recorded between January 1 and March 31, compared to eight for the corresponding period in 2020.

He said intense police investigations resulted in two of the three cases being cleared up.

The senior lawman indicated that the decline in murders contributed to an overall 32 per cent reduction in serious and violent crimes in the parish for the first quarter of the year.

Superintendent Russell said 25 cases of major crimes were recorded, compared to 37 for the corresponding period in 2020.

He said that in addition to murder, declines were recorded for rape, break-ins and larceny.

The senior officer noted, however, that robberies increased by 33.3 percent, with three being recorded up to March 31, compared to two over the same period in 2020.

He advised that there was no increase in shootings and aggravated assaults over the review period, with the parish recording five and six incidents respectively over both periods.

Superintendent Russell said the overall decline resulted from the police's relentless efforts in enforcing the law.

“The police have been working very hard in the various communities and station districts. We are small in numbers, but the officers are very motivated and they have been doing their best,” he said.

The Divisional Commander said the police continues to implement strategies to stem crime and violence in Trelawny and “have been targeting our known violence producers, conducting weekly and daily operations against them.”

“We have been… monitoring, also, the persons who have been given bail conditions, for example those who are on curfew orders, to ensure that they are abiding by these,” he further indicated.

Superintendent Russell singled out the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) for special mention, noting that the investigators “have been doing well.”

[The] CIB team has been doing a marvelous job in the Trelawny Division in clearing up our serious crimes,” he pointed out.