Les Green

DESPITE police data showing only 52 per cent of the 143 murders recorded in Jamaica last month yet to be cleared up, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green believes the lawmen are doing a "reasonable" job.

"There's obviously still a lot of work to be done but, considering the lack of forensic equipment, I have to say that figure is reasonable," ACP Green told The Gleaner yesterday from Antigua, where he was attending a funeral.

Increase in homicides

The monthly crime statistics were released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) on Wednesday and showed a 23 per cent increase in homicides when compared to the same period in 2006.

Seventy-four of the murders recorded so far this year remain unsolved. Approximately 116 murders were recorded in January 2006; there were 151 murders in January 2005.

The police have acquired several state-of-the-art forensic equipment during the past two years. However, senior police officers, notably ACP Green who heads the Major Investigation Team, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields, say the JCF still lacks equipment critical to fighting crime.