W’land cops boast encouraging clear-up rate despite increase in murders
Published:Monday | October 17, 2022 | 12:06 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
COMMANDING OFFICER for the Westmoreland Police Division, Senior Superintendent Wayne Joseph, says his detectives have managed to clear up 52 of the 121 murders recorded across the parish so far this year by arresting and prosecuting those responsible.
Joseph heaped praises on his team during the monthly general meeting of the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation on Thursday.
“I must also highlight the work of the police in the division, in particular the Criminal Investigation Branch, because so far they have managed to clear up 52 of those murders,” Joseph told councillors in the parish.
“Fifty-two murders to be cleared in roughly nine months, it is very commendable because it works out to be about six murders per month. Even by international standards that is way above, so I have to commend them for that,” said Joseph.
Despite the successful clear-up rate, Westmoreland’s 121 tally represents an increase of 33 murders when compared to the corresponding period of 2021. That figure makes the division the second most deadly in Area One, trailing only St James, which had recorded 160 up to October 1 this year. At that time, Hanover had seen 34 murders, while Trelawny had 28.
In Westmoreland, the police have reported that shootings have also increased to 119, up from 104 this time last year.
At the same time, Joseph named Savanna-la-Mar, Little London and the Whithorne areas, which are all made up of several smaller communities, as crime hotspots in the parish.
“When it comes to crime in the parish, our main areas that produce the most of our murders are Shaolin, Gully Banks and Russia in Savanna-la-Mar. Those are the places that are of main concern in Savanna-la-Mar. We also have in the Whithorne area, the communities of Shrewsbury, Logwood and Flaxseed,” the senior superintendent told councillors in giving his monthly update.
In Little London, the police named Egypt Gardens, Retreat and Delveland as communities responsible for the increasing spate of murders.
“We also have within the Morgan Bridge police area the communities of Kings Valley, Crowder; those are the places to watch, along with Geneva and Sterling,” Joseph added.