Police personnel attached to the St James Division stand guard at the back of this pick-up as several men are transported to the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay for processing following a police-military raid in North Lane in the city last Thursday. - Noel Thompson/Freelance Photographer

WESTERN BUREAU:

After decades of being relatively crime free, St James has seen an unwelcome explosion over the last six years with the parish now a major headache for law-enforcement agencies.

Last year, 216 persons were killed in the parish despite several anti-crime measures implemented by the police.

This placed St James, home to the nation's tourism capital Montego Bay, among the four parishes with the most murders last year.

A lack of economic opportunities in Montego Bay's 19 inner-city enclaves, a thriving lottery scam, a shortage of dispute-resolution facilities and police corruption are among the reasons identified for the spate of violence.

Access to illicit funding

Denver Frater, the assistant commissioner of police in charge of western Jamaica, has also blamed the St James crime spree on the ability of criminals to access illicit funding through the 'lotto scam', which is believed to be funnelling millions of dollars into the criminal underworld.

"These guys have access to big money, so they are able to equip themselves with weapons and ammunition as well as make themselves mobile.

"Our big challenge is to cut off the funding from these criminals and, in so doing, lessen their scope of influence," said Frater, who has responsibility for the Area One Police Division, which covers Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland.

An analysis of St James' police statistics for 2008 reveals that major crimes, especially homicides, were not restricted to the communities labelled volatile areas.

These volatile areas or 'black spots' accounted for 69 of the 216 murders recorded in the parish last year.

The community of Norwood topped the list with 30 killings, followed by 12 in Canterbury/King Street and Albion Lane; 10 in Granville; eight in Salt Spring/ Green Pond; and Glendevon and Lilliput with four each and one in Flankers.

Frater

St James' murder trail 2002-2008

2009 17

2008 216

2007 188

2006 178

2005 139

2004 129

2003 106

2002 83

Figure based on police releases to The Gleaner

2008 2007

Murders

216 188

Cleared up:

15% (33) 47% (89)

Shootings

193 191

Robberies

330 221

Rape

97 97

Carnal abuse

20 27

Break-ins

283 132

Larceny

36 22

The JCF mandate

THE LEADERSHIP of the police force has given its members targets for this year in a mandate published in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Orders of January 8.

The Gleaner has received a copy of the mandate which avoids numbers but gives the members of the force clear guidelines.

OUR MANDATE FOR 2009

We must pool all our crime-fighting efforts as a team committed to ridding our society of miscreants.

We must employ critical thinking and analytical skills in all our policing efforts.

Eradicate the organisation of corrupt members.

Take care of our resources.

Eradicate waste.

Take care of each other and ensure the continuous welfare of all members.

Be prudent in our money management.

Ensure that in all things, God is the head of our lives.