Police say normality returning to tense Spanish Town

By Nakinskie Robinson    

 

The St. Catherine North Police says despite an air of unease and anxiety following the flare up of violence in Spanish Town over the weekend, a sense of normality is being restored.

 

There were concerns about reprisals after the death of Sheldon Walters, otherwise called 'Termite', who the police said was the leader of a faction of the Clansman gang.

 

Commanding Officer for the St. Catherine North Police division Superintendent Hopton Nicholson says there will be increased police presence across the parish. 

 

"The entire Spanish Town area is slightly tense, but back to normal. Businesses are open, and commuters are going to and from unimpeded. So we just want to implore persons to listen to verified sources such as the Corporate Communication Unit, CCU, and some of the mainstream media for valid information. We hope that full normalcy will return soon. In the meantime, the police and the military will be having high visibility patrols and maintaining a presence in the area to ensure that law and order is preserved." 

 

Superintendent Nicholson said two of the 22 people detained in the fiery protest on Saturday remain in custody. 

 

"One will be charged with breaches of the Public Order Act and the Towns and Communities Act, as well as, he's also a person of interest in shooting. The other person is a person of interest in murder. The investigative procedures will follow. Most of the persons were warned and released, and we will be monitoring the various spaces to ensure that they do not re-offend in terms of blocking the road," he said. 

 

The update was given during an impromptu press conference at the St. Catherine North Police headquarters on Monday morning.

 

An extended 24-hour curfew is in effect in sections of the parish, including Top Banks, Oxford Road and Spanish Town, until 6 o'clock Monday evening.  

 

The security measure was first imposed on Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

Mayor of Spanish Town Norman Scott believes all state agencies and community groups must be engaged in response to the upsurge in violence in sections of St. Catherine.

 

Mayor Scott said the government must work to lift the unrest and to establish a sense of normality through crime alleviation strategies such as the Peace Management Initiative.

 

"The state have (sic) a responsibility to ensure that all the citizens are safe and by such the presence of the security forces is expected. The various programmes that are being run by the government, and I speak about the programme from ZOSO, I expect that the agencies will be quickly deployed into the various communities to help them to build some level of calm and stability," he demanded. 

 

Mayor Scott was a guest on the Morning Agenda, on Power 106FM.