Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin (centre) speaks with Deputy Commissioners Mark Shields and Jevene Bent yesterday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

ALREADY STAINED by approximately 40 murders since the start of the year, the police are forecasting that 2009 could be almost as bloody as 2008.

Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin has announced that the Jamaica Constabulary Force is aiming to reduce murders by around five per cent this year.

Lewin's five per cent target means that the murder toll is expected to dip to about 1,530 this year.

"Other criminal activities may pose some challenge but we do anticipate a decrease in those numbers," Lewin said.

The commissioner was speaking at his monthly press briefing at the Police Officers' Club, St Andrew.

Police statistics indicate that 28 more persons were killed last year compared with the 1,583 recorded in 2007.

Last year, the only category of major crime that recorded a decrease was carnal abuse, which declined by nine per cent.

"It was another challenging year in an effort to ensure the safety and security of the society," Lewin said.

However, the commissioner has said the year could have been worse had the police not acted decisively to combat crime.

At the end of May, which alone, recorded 201 homicides, murders and shootings for the year had increased to 16 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively, over the 2007 figures.

"Had that trend continued, we would have seen somewhere around 1,700 or so murders for 2008," Lewin said.

Gang violence

The commissioner high-lighted inter-gang rivalry and the fight for turf as some of the major factors contributing to shootings and murders.

"These conflicts were generating violent deaths, assaults and driving up fear within the society," Lewin said.

To combat the rise in crime, the Police High Command and the military created a joint task force aimed at disrupting gangs and recovering guns.

According to Lewin, the task force resulted in the the arrest of 40 gang leaders and the recovery of 50 illegal firearms.

Lewin has said that the police will be rolling out more task forces this year.

"St James and Clarendon will be the focus of special attention and with support from the Kingston-based joint task forces in the new year," Lewin said.

Official statistics show that 214 persons were murdered in St James last year, 15 per cent more than the 188 recorded in 2007 while Clarendon recorded 163 homicides, 37 per cent more than the figure recorded in 2007.