Some Hanover residents and stakeholders are lamenting the security measure aimed at saving lives and reducing gang activities in the western parish. States of Public Emergency (SOPE) have been declared in seven parishes, including most western parishes- St. James, Westmoreland, and Hanover.
The SOE comes after Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson announced there have been 1,360 murders since the start of the year. That is a 6.8 percent increase over the same period last year. He says gang violence accounts for 71 per cent of those murders, while interpersonal conflicts account for 16 per cent. However, even with those figures, residents of Hanover complain SOE will affect their freedom and livelihoods.
Several calls have been made for the government to get crime under control, as the crime rate surpasses that of last year. However, Members of the Opposition and other stakeholders have dismissed the SOE as an ineffective tool for curbing crime. They continue to urge PM Holness and the security minister to implement fresh ideas to rid Jamaica of the growing crime and violence.
Not enough police for a Zone of Special Operations (ZOSO) but enough to man several parishes under states of public emergency, how come? Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson told CVM LIVE, while the boots are needed to maintain peace in a ZOSO an SOE goes further in removing the targets to allow greater intelligence gathering and doesn’t require as many resources in terms of personnel.
His response was bolstered by an explanation from the prime minister, who says unlike decades prior where there was disinvestment in the security forces, today, there’s continued resourcing and recruitment of security personnel.’ He also says that based on the nature of the crime beast, the best approach was advised, as being the SOPEs, which allows the security forces heightened probity. He says their deployment has been carefully considered, to ensure the forces will not be thinly stretched.
Reporter: Velonique Bowen.
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