The shooting of three police personnel, one fatally, in the St Andrew North Police Division in less than 48 hours has begged the question: are the police in that area being targeted?

The Gleaner was told by the St Andrew North Division that two policemen, shot yesterday, were on patrol along Red Hills Road in St Andrew.

"I personally don't see it as a direct attack on the police. Gunmen were engaged in a gun battle, the police intervened, during which time the two officers were shot and injured," said Altimont Campbell, deputy superintendent in charge of crime in the division.

No names given

The senior detective told The Gleaner he was not prepared to give out the names of any persons of interest at this stage of the investigation.

Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Peter Bunting, has condemned the killing of Woman Constable Georgette Collymore of the Constant Spring Police Station in the St Andrew North Division.

"The Opposition is indeed troubled by the brazen attack on yet another of our service officers. We empathise with Constable Collymore's family, the Mount Ogle community and the Constant Spring police who must be shaken by the loss," Bunting said in his statement.

Collymore was at home about 6 p.m. on Wednesday when men in a motor car drove up and shot her and stole her service pistol. The constable later died from her injuries.

The murder of Constable Collymore brings to eight, the number of police personnel to be killed by criminals since the start of the year.

Up to press time, both lawmen remained hospitalised.

rasbert.turner@gleanerjm.com