Kingston crime chief
published:
Friday | May 9, 2008
Edmond Campbell and Mark Beckford, Staff Reporters
GREEN
LES GREEN, the assistant commissioner of police who heads the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT), will as of Monday lead a team of 120 police personnel with a specific mandate to cramp the unbridled murder rate in the Corporate Area.
Green and his team have been given the task to probe all firearm-related murder investigations in Kingston and St Andrew, in an attempt to ferret out and arrest persons responsible for the wanton killings.
Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields has overall responsibility for the crime portfolio.
Homicides
For the month of April, the Corporate Area recorded 81 murders or 68 per cent of the total number of homicides islandwide.
The latest move to stem the crime wave comes against the background of increasing calls for the Bruce Golding administration to tackle the escalating problem.
A high-level meeting yesterday, between Golding, National Security Minister Derrick Smith, the acting minister Dwight Nelson, along with heads of the security forces and other senior officers, produced a set of old and new measures to reduce the murder rate.
Marginal success
Green told The Gleaner that although the MIT was asked to investigate shootings and murders in the Corporate Area earlier this year, the unit was only able to reap marginal success because it does not have enough personnel.
He said arrests by the MIT increased from 36 per cent to 49 per cent this year compared with the similar period last year.
President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce Mark Myers applauded the measures but argued that long term initiatives, including the creation of jobs and community policing were key elements in efforts to reduce crime.
He said the zero tolerance approach to minor offences was a step in the right direction.
ACP Police Les Green
Age : 49
Former detective superintendent with the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard)
Chief investigator non-fatal shootings - Operation Trident, the unit responsible for investigating shootings within London's black community
October 2004 - Joined the Metropolitan Police team providing technical assistance to Operation Kingfish.
January 16, 2006 - Appointed Assistant Commissioner, Jamaica Constabulary Force with portfolio responsibility for homicides and serious crimes.
Anti-crime initiatives
Intensification of the joint military/police task force which was established in December 2007.
Increased police presence in all communities.
Maintenance of the zero-tolerance approach to minor offences including noise nuisance, possession of ganja and traffic offences.
Fast-forwarding of police plans to make greater use of intelligence to contain, disrupt and apprehend criminals.
All firearm-related murder investigations in Kingston and St Andrew to be taken over by the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT).
Investigators in other parishes to be pooled at the Area-command level where the MIT is not yet established, to investigate murders, shootings and other serious crimes.
