Patterson A NEW proactive crime-control strike force "able to move anywhere and anytime in the Corporate Area" of Kingston and St. Andrew, specifically targeting "dons, deportees and other criminal elements", was announced last night by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson as a major measure to curb the current crime wave.
In a national radio and television broadcast, the Prime Minister acknowledged that there was "rampant criminality" which must be tackled "as a matter of urgency" and that it's the Government's responsibility to maintain law and order and to bring crime under control. He announced a raft of other short-, medium- and long-term crime-fighting measures and goals, some new, some not. He said there were some which he deliberately would not announce then.
Mr. Patterson said the new crime-fighting unit would begin operations net week Monday, September 11. It will focus also on developing and implementing a plan to curtail car-jacking and enhance and execute a planned programme to stem extortion.
The Prime Minister's broadcast was in response to widespread public outcry about the crime wave sweeping the country, culminating in a call on him by eight public sector business leaders last week "to take a comprehensive stand on crime, now."But contacted yesterday, Peter Moses, head of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, said he would not comment on the Prime Minister's speech then, but would wait until the membership had had a chance to meet and discuss the matter in detail.
On Friday, major business leaders, including members of the PSOJ, met at Jamaica House with Mr. Patterson, K.D. Knight, National Security and Justice Minister, Police Commissioner Francis Forbes, and Major-General John Simmonds, Chief-of-Staff, Jamaica Defence Force, and discussed the issue of crime and violence and how it was affecting business in the country. The Prime Minister said he would disclose his Government's anti-crime plan last night.
In his broadcast, Mr. Patterson promised a sustained attack on criminal elements until the situation was brought under control.
The new crime-fighting unit would be a permanent, proactive structure rather than an intervening response system and would be unlike the Special Anti-Crime Task Force which is a response-oriented unit, the Prime Minister said.
In the short-term, emphasis would be placed on the intelligence-gathering mechanism of the security forces with civilian input, elimination of the practice of protection money, and more intense effort to stem the flow of drugs.
Mr. Patterson appealed to all "law-abiding citizens" to bear with the security forces as a result of the inconvenience which may result from increased cordons and searches, traffic checkpoints, and increased roadblocks and curfews to detect criminals.
He said those measures would be increased to "keep the lawless elements off balance". In addition, violence-prone areas would be saturated with police, on bicycles, motor bikes and in patrol cars.
The Prime Minister said that helicopter surveillance was now being undertaken with the use of Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) equipment, and said Coast Guard and Marine patrols would be more vigilant to protect against the illegal entry of drugs, weapons and illicit merchandise into the country.
He promised to provide the security forces with the necessary equipment to do their jobs and said an additional 120 new vehicles and 50 high-powered motor bikes were expected in the island by the end of October.
As part of the new crime-fighting thrust, the wider deployment of members of the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) would free up more police personnel to be deployed in markets, business centres and in the transportation network - areas targeted by criminals.
Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will be released from administrative duties which the Prime Minister said could properly be undertaken by civilians, thus making more police available for front line duty. Divisional commanders had been instructed to spend more time on the road.
Mr. Patterson stressed that the new measures were to "augment and not replace existing activities by the security forces". And clearly not wanting the criminal elements to know the every move of the security forces, the Prime Minister said "there are some measures, which quite deliberately, I will not announce tonight."
The issue of protection money being paid by business operators in downtown Kingston was one of the main issues dealt with and the Prime Minister has appealed to those affected to come forward with information.
THE MEASURES
NEW:
Specific new operational crime-fighting structures.
. Intelligence-gathering mechanism to incorporate civilian inputs
A further concerted effort at stemming the flow of drugs
Elimination of the practice of protection money.
TO BE STEPPED UP:
Cordons and searches.
Traffic checkpoints.
Roadblocks and curfews.
Helicopter surveillance using Forward-Looking Infrared equipment.
Coast Guard/Marine Police patrols will be more vigilant to protect against the illegal entry of drugs, weapons and illicit merchandise.
A saturation of crime-prone areas using beat, bicycle, motorbikes and motor-car patrols.
By the end of October, 120 new vehicles and 50 high-powered motor bikes for the police.
Wider deployment of the Island Special Constabulary, to release police to patrol markets, business areas and transportation networks.
Constabulary members to be released from administrative duties to expand the number available for front line duty.
Divisional Commanders to spend less time in office, and more time on the road.
