PRIME MINISTER P.J. Patterson yesterday told senior journalists at Jamaica House that he has instructed the police to disregard any political interference while conducting their duties.
The Prime Minister was responding to charges made in the public domain that known criminal elements, aligned to and protected by political parties, were escaping the long arm of the law.
"I do not accept that there is political protection for any criminals," he said. He pointed out that based on his instructions to the police and the knowledge that criminal elements are not in hiding in certain communities, he cannot understand why it is that such persons have not been apprehended.
Dealing specifically with the Spanish Town issue, the Prime Minister said 'available intelligence' does not suggest that the recent upsurge in violence, which left 12 persons dead, was on account of clashes between rival political gangs. He said the killings were related to gangs warring over turf control.
GANGS IDENTIFIED
The Prime Minister said that in a previous meeting with the security high command 21 criminal gangs were identified across the island and that he, along with the Minister of National Security, had instructed the police to move to dismantle these units.
Although he was unable to provide exact figures, the Prime Minister said that some of the gangs have been dismantled through migration, police action and killings through gang wars.
Mr. Patterson said the police were given specific and measurable targets in relation to crime reduction but admitted that these were not reached in the last year.
"There was some reduction, but not to the desired or targeted level," he said.
The homicide reduction target was set at 20 per cent, however, only eight per cent was achieved. He explained that the police force was currently giving thought to a reconfiguration of its system. So far the number of special units have been reduced and there is a move towards community policing.
According to the Prime Minister, the Mobile Reserve is to be strengthened and upgraded and the personnel attached to the Special Anti-Crime Task Force (under the Mobile Reserve) will be specially trained and the unit be allowed to rove based on intelligence.
