WESTERN BUREAU:
Once considered the safest parish in the island, in 2023 Hanover had the highest percentage increase in murders, although not the highest number.
Police statistics are showing that, with 72 murders occurring in that parish last year, compared to 44 in 2022, the increase of 63.6 per cent is the highest islandwide. The parish with the nearest percentage increase to Hanover was St Ann with 17.9, moving from 67 murders in 2022 to 79 in 2023.
Ian Mowatt, superintendent of police in charge of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Hanover division, is committed to reversing that upsurge in criminal activity in Hanover.
“The percentage figures by themselves are frightening. The fact of the matter is though, that the nominal figure is telling a different story. The murders still are some of the lowest in the island, and we intend to keep that so,” Mowatt told The Gleaner during an exclusive interview.
“We have strategised as a management team, to ensure that we win the confidence of the residents of the parish going forward, since in the matter of law enforcement and crime-fighting, the residents have a great role to play. And because of that, we are pretty confident that we will not be going down this road again for 2024 in terms of the amount of murders,” he stated
Mowatt, a 33-year veteran in the JCF, who has been in charge of the Hanover division since September 2023, argues that the successes to be enjoyed against crime in the parish will be a measure of the cooperation between residents and the police.
He described Hanover as “a lovely place to be, to work and to do business; almost a paradise, with serene and beautiful physical surroundings”, adding that he understands why people from all around the world pay good money to come to this part of the island to relax and enjoy themselves.
He made an appeal for residents to find a way to deal with their personal conflicts and differences, noting that conflicts are a natural occurrence in community socialisation.
“The fact of the matter is that there is a way to peacefully solve conflicts between people, and sometimes it requires the input of a third party which may be the police, a justice of the peace, a respected member of the community, or even the court system. I urge them to use these facilities which are at their disposal to assist them in resolving differences,” he pleaded.
Turning his attention to the criminal elements, the superintendent emphasised that violence never solves any problem, while urging criminals to consider a change in lifestyle.
He pointed out that the resources of the JCF will be deployed across the parish to ensure that those persons who cannot defend themselves are given quick response whenever challenging situations arise.
“In fact, we are committed to ensuring that the people who contribute positively to society are the ones who benefit most from the resources that the Government has assigned to us,” he stated.
Noting that 90 per cent of the murders that occurred in Hanover in 2023 had some connection to scamming activities, Mowatt appealed for those involved to make a change and seek an education as the way of life to achieve their dreams.
“These murders (within Hanover) are largely associated with scamming activities, so if anything, my message would be to the young people that you might see the allure of scamming but the simple fact of the matter is that there is a dark side to the activity,” he emphasised.
“My appeal to the young people: do not see scamming as a way out, it is a shortcut method to prison and to the cemetery,” Mowatt said, underlining some negative effects of scamming.