Cops block info as violence escalates

THE police have instituted a black-out on the current statistics of major crimes in Jamaica.

The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), the information arm of the Police Force, has been instructed not to issue any more information to the media regarding current crime statistics. Instead, The Sunday Gleaner understands, statistics on major crimes are to be made available on a quarterly basis.

"The CCN will not be issuing any statistics to anyone," a constable at the CCN said yesterday. "Statistics will now be issued on a quarterly basis, therefore, for any information you want, you need to call the Statistics Department. That directive was handed down yesterday (Friday)."

The Sunday Gleaner could not confirm yesterday who issued the directive as neither Police Commissioner Francis Forbes nor head of the CCN, Deputy Superintendent James Forbes, could not be contacted for comment.

However, checks with the Statistics Department revealed a similar effort by the police hierarchy to limit freedom of access to current police statistics on criminal activity in the island.

"The Statistics Department is not in a position to give information to you or anyone else in the media," an officer in the Statistics Department said yesterday. "You may be able to get access to information on crime in years gone by, but the Statistics Department is not able to divulge current figures. To get information, you now have to make a written request to the department, or call to talk to Inspector Barrett."

Detective Inspective Keith Barrett is the man in charge of the Police Statistics Depart-ment.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that the new directive to limit the availability of crime statistics comes in the wake of media reports about the spiralling murder rates over the last two weeks "which paint the country in a negative light."

Last Wednesday, The Gleaner reported that since May 28, 43 persons had been killed violently across Jamaica - 32 of them between May 28 and June 3.

It was reported that in May, 94 persons were slain, making it the bloodiest month in Jamaica since 1997, when there were 97 reported cases of murder for that month.

Meanwhile, the bloody gun violence inside and outside of the Corporate Area continued on Friday night with five more people killed and four others shot and injured in separate incidents.

More than 17 people have been killed since last Monday, pushing the number of persons slain between January and yesterday to 412.

One of the incidents occurred about 300 metres from the Gold Street police station in Central Kingston on Friday night, where three men shot and injured a man known only as "Everette".

While the security forces have managed to put a lid on the escalating killings in sections of west Kingston, the trail of blood Friday night stretched from Fletcher's Land to Dames Road, Spanish Town Road in Kingston, Bull Bay in St. Andrew and Four Paths in Clarendon.

The escalating violence in west Kingston spilled into the neighbouring community of Fletcher's Land on Friday night claiming the life of 27-year-old Dave Ellis, who was shot by two men riding a motorcycle. Two men and a 14-year-old boy, who were purchasing food from Mr. Ellis, were also shot and injured. Police believed the shooting was a reprisal for the recent killing of a hospital porter on Orange Street.

Also on Friday, Anthony Smith, 21, was stabbed at about 8:30 p.m. during a dispute with another man along Spanish Town Road. In Bull Bay, St. Andrew, gunmen killed 24-year-old Garfield Brown. Mr. Brown was sitting in his car when he was approached by a man. Following a brief conversation Mr. Brown came out of the vehicle and walked off with the man. Residents said explosions were heard and on arrival of the police Mr. Brown's body was found with gunshot wounds to face and back.

The lawmen reported 53-year-old Hubert Lawrence of Red Hills Boulevard in St. Andrew and a 12-year-old boy were also shot. This was after gunmen opened fire at patrons standing outside the doors of Mango Tree bar on Dames Road. Mr. Lawrence later died at hospital.

The next victim was Basil Campbell, 50, who was shot by gunmen about 4:30 a.m. He was shot in the back and chest, while standing on his veranda in Four Paths, Clarendon.

Story compiled by Staff Reporters Claude Mills and Glenroy Sinclair.

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