Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

Detectives from the Major Investigation Team (MIT) prepare to transport one of the suspects in the shooting death of Detective Corporal Dave Daley from the Commissioner of Police's office in St. Andrew to the Kingston Central Police Station, yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

LESS THAN 24 hours after the murder of Detective Corporal Dave Daley on Monday night, the police have narrowed down the search for the suspects to two persons.

Michael Phipps, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) in charge of crime at the St. Andrew South Police Station, said while the two men, known only as 'Harry Dog' and 'Chris' are still on the run, it would not be long before they were cornered.

"We have information on them and we are moving in on them as we speak. So it is best for them to give themselves up before we come and get them," DSP Phipps told The Gleaner.

One of the four persons implicated in the shooting was yesterday escorted by members of the media and a minister of religion to the office of the commissioner of police. Shortly afterwards, he was whisked away to the Kingston Central police headquarters by senior detectives attached to the Major Investigation Team (MIT).

The 32-year-old suspect told journalists that he was giving himself up because he was innocent. "When the police was shot, I never was there," he said.

Hours before his surrender, another of the suspects, Ian Mondel, also known as Juba and 'Die-Less Bwoy' was shot and killed at premises along Waltham Park Road, Kingston 13.

According to police reports, Det. Cpl. Daley was on duty in Brook Valley, Duhaney Park, St. Andrew, when he saw a group of men arguing. He reportedly intervened and was fired upon by a group of gunmen. A gun battle ensued, during which one of the gunmen, known only as Joel, was shot. The gunman and Det. Cpl. Daley, who received multiple shots, died on the spot.

Meanwhile, information reaching The Gleaner suggests that Det. Cpl. Daley may have been lured into the area by his killers. They escaped with the policeman's service pistol.

The police have so far recovered a bullet-proof vest at premises frequented by the men implicated in the shooting. They also took a 9mm handgun from the body of Mondel after he was shot dead.

A 19-year veteran of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the 40-year-old policeman, the sixth to be killed this year, was transferred to CISOCA (Centre for the Investigation of Sexual offences and Child Abuse) in November last year. A picture of gloom hung over the office when The Gleaner visited yesterday. Colleagues openly spoke of the light-hearted cop whom they say will be sadly missed.

No longer will they hear the voice of Detective Corporal Dave Daley sing the old refrain 'Rock of ages cleft for me', they lamented.

The loss was too much for Inspector Herfa Beckford. She was the best friend and cousin of Detective Corporal Daley. While the CISOCA staff was being addressed by the chaplain, Inspector Beckford suffered an asthma attack and had to be rushed off for medical assistance.

Corporal Claudette Hepburn remembered him as a dedicated policeman.

"He was a brave man and he was also full of life," she said.

Detective Corporal Hepburn said she remembered working with the slain corporal at Olympic Gardens police station from 1997 to 1999, what she called "the roughest period to work in Olympic Gardens."

"If someone got shot no one dared to attempt to take them to the hospital ... and if someone was killed in the night Madden would not show up until morning.

"Daley would jump in the jeep an seh 'come Hepburn, wi ave to save these people'."

Detective Corporal Daley is the sixth policeman to be gunned down since the start of the year, which is just seven weeks old.

Eighty-three police officers have been killed since the start of the decade and Daley's death brings to 301, number of police women and women who have been killed in Jamaica in the last 25 years.

DALEY