Glenroy Sinclair, Assignment Coordinator

With more than 280 persons murdered over the last 68 days, the Police High Command will be deploying resources and additional police personnel across inner-city communities where there has been an increase in homicides.

Police records indicate that 134 persons were killed violently in September; the figure increased last month to 143. This is the second highest number of killings recorded in a month since the start of the year. The highest was in January when 149 persons were killed. The lowest so far is February with 97 murders.

The country's murder toll reached a staggering 1,270 yesterday. The gun has been the most popular murder weapon.

Among the areas under the microscope of the security forces are Kingston East, where there has been several killings in the Vineyard Town, Mountain View Avenue and Rockfort areas. Because of the violence, a curfew has been imposed in the Mountain View area since last week.

Other areas under close watch are the Kingston West, St. Andrew South and St. Andrew Central divisions.

A short-term plan

This is part of a short-term plan discussed yesterday between National Security Minister Derrick Smith and members of the Police High Command, who met for about two and a half hours yesterday to evaluate anti-crime strategies implemented two months ago.

According to Mr. Smith, the strategy was looked at against the increase in homicides in an effort to analyse what was happening and what needs to be done for the future, as well as to formulate a plan for the upcoming Christmas season.

Pointing to the successes in the continued fight against narcotics smuggling, the minister said that during October, the Narcotics Police, in collaboration with Operation Kingfish, seized more than 8,000 lb of ganja, the main significance of this seizure being that it was based on intelligence.

glenroy.sinclair@gleanerjm.com