Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter
Chairman of the Rose Town Citizens' Association, Michael Black (centre), shows a map of the area during a visit yesterday by Deputy Chief Superintendent John Coles (right), head of the British-based Operation Trident, and Detective Inspector Steve Tyler. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
JAMAICAN POLICE can break the back of violent crime if they make moves to increase consultation and trust with communities, say visiting Scotland Yard officers and community advisers.
The officers and community advisers from Operation Trident's Independent Advisory Group (IAG) and the Metropolitan Police Authority were speaking while on a tour of Rose Town, Kingston, organised by the Kingston Restoration Company (KRC). The KRC is working with residents to redevelop the area.
The Metropolitan Police Authority is the independent body that has oversight responsibility for Scotland Yard.
"Given my experience with Trident, I believe Jamaican police need to sign up to greater community cooperation," said Deputy Chief Superintendent John Coles, head of Operation Trident, which was started in 1998 to target black-on-black gun crime.
"It is not controversial to say that relations between the (black) community and the police were not good at the time, but greater cooperation has brought results," he said.
According to DCS Coles, 90 per cent of murders investigated by 'Trident' are solved, up from 20 per cent six years ago. He said he believed the experience could be replicated in Jamaica based on levels of co-operation between both police forces and links between London's black community and here.
Standing by Maxfield Avenue, where three men were shot dead last week, DCS Coles acknowledged Jamaican police faced a greater challenge.
"We have had 16 murders in Trident so far this year, and even that sounds a lot," he said.
