BY KARL ANGELL AND HG HELPS Observer senior editors Sunday, September 14, 2014
WHEN Dr Carl Williams officially becomes Commissioner of Police tomorrow, he will inherit a constabulary force that has, among other things, seen a major decline in murders this year, compared to last year.
The 28th commissioner of police in the 149-year history of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) was chosen over a field of six other shortlisted aspirants last week.
Up to Friday, September 12, the murder toll since the start of the year stood at 698 — 121 or 15 per cent less than the 819 recorded for the same period last year.
On its present trend, murder, the obvious key crime indicator, is expected to fall below the 1,000 mark for the first time in many years.
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| Dr. Carl Williams |
Dr Williams will know from his experience in leading Police Area 5 (St Catherine North, and South, St Andrew North and St Thomas) that the St Catherine North Division — which includes places like Spanish Town, St John's Road, March Pen, Tawes Pen, and Lauriston — is cause for much concern having recorded 89 murders since the start of the year up to September 12, the same as last year.
The only division ahead of St Catherine North now is the St James Division with 99 murders, although this represents four less recorded murders for the period previously mentioned.
St James is regarded as the personification of scamming, and security analysts have suggested that Dr Williams will have to pay direct attention to the situation in that part of western Jamaica which has led to so many murders and shootings.
Based upon the statistics too, the new commissioner may be happy with the performance of the problematic Clarendon division which has recorded 24 less murders (down from 85 to 61) when the figures are compared. more
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