Klao Bell, Staff Reporter
THE police have lashed 'hypocrites' in the political parties for undermining their efforts to fight crime in some communities and are predicting that the year 2002 will be a tough one for Jamaicans.
Deputy Superintendent James Forbes, head of the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN), said that the police's effort to manage crime in some tough communities is being undermined by "political hypo-crisy".
"There would be curtailing if the people who are the lawmakers take a serious position about locking away criminals and don't politicise that decision. But there would be a political fall-out, and that is their biggest fear," DSP Forbes said.
Superintendent Leon Rose of the Kingston Eastern police division, said, "Instead of accusing each other, the police wish the situation would first and foremost be treated as a criminal situation. The political voices need to be matched by greater effort and strong, visible actions."
Superintendent Rose was referring specifically to the on-going violence in the Mountain View Avenue area in eastern Kingston, where 52 persons were killed between September and December last year.
Mountain View Avenue, including communities located off the main road has, according to the Social Development Commission (SDC), a population of 5,604 people. At present, the movements of residents have been curtailed, small businesses have closed down, and many have moved out of the community.
"We do have a plan and strategically conduct operations in various sections of Mountain View, but the political polarisation of those communities demand a more active voice from the politicians," Superintendent Rose said.
Until that voice is raised, many Jamaicans, like the 6,080 people in Grants Pen and approximately 400 people in Park Lane and 100 Lane in north central St. Andrew are potential targets of politically motivated violence, he said.
Even though the police statistics department has recorded only two politically-motivated murders for the last quarter of 2001, many of the murders in the last three months have been labelled as such.
"This is a political year, much of what is happening is straight politics - I wouldn't say it's being sanctioned officially by Mr. Patterson or Mr. Seaga, but there are middle managers," said Crime Management Unit head, Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams.
The latest flare-up resulted in the death of eight persons within the Park Lane and 100 Lane communities of Red Hills Road. This incident, said to be the result of friction between Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and People's National Party (PNP) supporters, has undermined an on-going effort of the police in that area to broker peace.
"We have maintained a presence and have on-going activities involving citizens, Justices of the Peace and the Church. We have, over the long term, targeted persons who are troublemakers or potential troublemakers but once you move some, another set comes up," said Senior Superintendent Derrick Shand of Area Five Police Division - which covers the Red Hills Road area.
Police are keeping a close eye on Maxfield Avenue and the Olympic Gardens areas, densely populated with 16,791 people, combined. Both communities had 46 of the 178 murders committed in the tough St. Andrew South police division last year.
Deputy Superintendent Newton Amos said the support of the Member of Parliament for St. Andrew southwest constituency, should be emulated.
"Portia Simpson Miller has worked closely with the police; she has openly stated that she does not support gunmen... more politicians need to come out and say that," DSP Amos said.
But Paul Burke, PNP Region Three chairman, said the police responsibility is greater in addressing the problems in the communities like Mountain View Avenue.
"Political pressure can do so much...there should be about 10 per cent input from politicians, 40 per cent from the police and about 50 per cent from the community co-operation," Mr. Burke said.
Delroy Chuck, the JLP Member of Parliament for central St. Andrew said, "politicians and leaders must do more and the police need support. But when you can't trust the police, it's a difficult task. There must be house-cleaning in the Force, so that politicians and the rest of the country can back them."
While politicians and police are yet to decide on whose shoulder the greater responsibility rests, citizens are rejecting both agents and turning to their own devices.
"From them kill Phang we no inna nothing with them...politician can only talk but them no deh yah when shot a fya an people a get kill," said one resident of the community of Grants Pen. She admitted that roadblocks and reprisal killings were ways the community defended itself.
In the meantime, policemen surveying the crime trends are shaking their heads in anticipation of the year Jamaicans may face.
"This is going to be a tough year for law-abiding citizens," predicted the CCN boss.
