Monique Hepburn, News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
HEAD OF the Area One Police Division, Superintendent Warren Clarke, is reporting an overwhelming success of the crime prevention strategies implemented for the festive season.
According to him, there have been no reports of robberies in the city's main commercial centres for the past six weeks.
"We sealed the town and made it safe and the result was that criminal activities such as robberies and violence saw a significant reduction or a total shutdown," Superintendent Clarke told The Gleaner yesterday.
He continued that as part of the strategies, police personnel from Kingston augmented those of St. James, but he is warning of difficulties from here on.
"The security detail from Kingston was as a result of great sacrifice because other areas were put on hold in their absence. (But) in terms of sustainability, our resources will really be challenged."
Meanwhile, Superintendent Clarke says there has been increasing support for the police by members of the public.
Montego Bay businessman and chief executive officer of Margaritaville Caribbean, Brian Jardim, told The Gleaner that he was grateful to the police for their work during the holiday season, especially given the increased visitor arrivals to the island.
"We had a lot of ship calls and we usually have problems with harassers who congregate on sections of the strip. The presence seemed to have solved the harassment and we are thankful," he said.
