Glenroy Sinclair and Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporters

Ford

As part of the new initiatives to tackle the high crime wave in St. James, head of the Kingston-based Flying Squad Unit, Deputy Superintendent Cornwall 'Bigga' Ford, has been given the task of restructuring the elite unit in the tourist capital.

Although he will not be on the transfer list, the veteran crime fighter has been asked to look at the present strength and resources among other elements of the unit. Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Superintendent John Morris, operations officer at Area One, disclosed that the Montego Bay Unit was currently comprised of eight members who are working out of the Area One office on Sewell Avenue.

Various investigations

At least three vehicles are assigned to the Flying Squad Unit which has been assisting with various investigations across the area zone (Trelawny, Hanover, Westmoreland and St. James), which accounts for most of the murders committed in the island since this year.

The Flying Squad was established in the latter part of the 1960s, with part of its mandate to assist at the divisional level, take on major investigations, special assignments and operational duties.

The Gleaner was told that the review is being done ahead of Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas' plan to reassign some of his senior officers in the hot-spot zones.

Commissioner Thomas has been indicating this at a number of his crime conferences. Two popular deputy superintendents have been shortlisted to be sent to the St. James Division.

- glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com, nagra.plunkett@gleanerjm.com