Police pursuing 233 people identified as 'key violence producers'

By Kimone Witter    

 

The Police High Command says it has identified 233 individuals as key violence producers and has engaged a targeted approach to apprehend them and dismantle the networks fuelling the country's staggering murder rate.

 

Deputy Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke says those prolific offenders should be pursued by specialised operations.

 

He says additional targets fall under the purview of area-specific fugitive apprehension teams and local operational support teams.

 

DCP Clarke says this multi-tiered approach is designed to maximise operational efficiency and address the core drivers of violent crime across the country:

 

"If we do that job properly, you'll find that we would, in a most efficient way, reduce the problem of violence in our country. So reducing the problem of violence will make us stronger economically because crime diverts foreign exchange from Jamaica. All those foreign investment opportunities and business people, they stay away because of the violence problem too," he pointed out. 

 

Noting the more than 1,000 murders recorded since January, DCP Clarke said violence has been singularly crippling the country and the police are duty-bound to try and address this. 

 

He said the police are hoping to achieve fewer than 1,000 murders next year. 

 

He was speaking at the annual Specialised Operations Branch Conference.