Head of the St James Police, Senior Superintendent Steve McGregor says the recent deployment of police and military personnel to the division has helped to quell the crime wave in Montego Bay.
The High Command recently deployed more than 100 police personnel following a spike in murders.
McGregor said the police have been conducting daily raids to apprehend suspects behind the violence.
“We have an injection of over 120 officers and other resources coming in at different points and for the last two weeks, we have not had a murder,…” said McGregor.
He also dismissed criticism by some residents that the police are struggling to contain the crime situation in the parish.
The James Commander said the crime wave is not unusual as the division has been a hot spot for several years
128 persons have been murdered in the parish since January up from 65 during the corresponding period last year.
Bunting visits
The spate of crime in western Jamaica has prompted another visit to St James by National Security Minister Peter Bunting. It was his second visit to the parish in two weeks.
On Thursday, he spoke with stakeholders at a meeting at the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Bunting said there was a 77 per cent increase in murders in St James since January 1.
He disclosed that the police are taking a three-pronged approach including the deployment of additional personnel and anti-crime legislation.
The National Security Minister said 30 violence interrupters have been trained to deal with friction in communities with high incidents of violence.
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