Spanish Town:

The St. Catherine South Police say they will be implementing new strategies, including the employment of social groups such as churches and youth clubs, to deal with crime in the division.

Superintendent Terrence Bent, head of the St. Catherine South Police Division, told The Gleaner yesterday that the police would also be seeking to formalise neighbourhood watches throughout Portmore.

"We intend to start very soon, the formation of one neighbourhood watch in Portmore Villa and this I know will help to get some positives around that area," Superintendent Bent said.

He added that the police will be using the "hand in the velvet gloves" approach to deal with the question of crimes and will follow on last year's success where the murder rate was cut from 138 in 2005 to 122 for 2006. During that time, he noted, 71 illegal guns were reported seized from the hands of criminals in comparison to 48 the year before.

With this track record, Supt. Bent said, the policemen and policewomen of the St. Catherine South division where there are seven police stations, will be going all out in their efforts to fight criminality.