New strategies to keep Portland safe

Port Antonio, Portland:

With nine murders recorded in Portland so far this year, Superintendent of Police Oberlin Smith White is planning to implement new strategies to tackle crime in what has been dubbed the 'safest parish'.

Last year, Portland recorded seven murders.

"We will be going on an all-out drive to rid this parish of the monster called crime," said Smith White, the commanding officer for the parish.

"Each police area will have its own crime-fighting plan as the kind of crimes being committed have varied. It will be a collaborative approach. However, in a place like Manchioneal, where praedial larceny is high, a different approach is needed, and, therefore, inspections will be carried out on market trucks, at the market, and at abattoirs to ensure that ownership of farm produce and meats is verified. Similarly, in the San San community, where robbery is on the increase, police presence will be heavily concentrated. I will not divulge much on that particular strategy for security reasons.

Since the start of 2015, six of the murders committed in the parish have been cleared up by the police. Seven of the nine murders were considered domestic incidents, while the other two have been categorised as gang related.

Additionally, shooting is at three in comparison to four during the corresponding period last year.

Robbery, which is a big issue, is at 63 in comparison to 22 last year, and rape remains the same at 20.