St Elizabeth escapee surrenders 'peacefully' at bar
Published:Sunday | September 10, 2023 | 2:28 PM
Richard Brown, one of eight men who escaped from the Black River police lock-up in St Elizabeth in June, was recaptured while patronising a bar in the community of Bueno Vista, on Saturday.
The St Elizabeth police say Brown, 34, was apprehended "peacefully", setting a "positive example for others facing similar situations".
Head of the police division acting Superintendent Coleridge Minto, commended his team for their "well-planned and executed operation".
Eight men were discovered missing during routine checks on June 19, 2023
The inmates managed to escape by cutting through a ventilation grille at the back of the cell, preliminary reports suggested.
The other escapees are 31-year-old Oral Cole, from Comfort Hall, Manchester; 38-year-old Alrick Hutchinson from Brighton District and 34-year-old Dean Simpson from Turner Top, all in St. Elizabeth.
The others are 34-year-old Anward Hinds from Maroon Town and 25-year-old Jevaughn Simms from Copperwood, both in St James; 30-year-old Kenneth Stewart from Beacon Hill and 29-year-old Demar Williams from Gravel Heights in Spanish Town, both in St. Catherine.
The men are considered highly dangerous.
Meanwhile, Minto has continued to appeal to individuals who may be evading the law to consider surrendering to the police rather than engaging in confrontations.
He encouraged them to seek legal advice and turn themselves in at the Black River Criminal Investigation Branch or any police station of their choice, a police statement said.
Minto was sent to take over the leadership of the St Elizabeth police within a week of the incident. He replaced Superintendent Kenneth Chin, who has been reassigned to Area Five Headquarters.
Changes were also made to the post of administration officer, the operations officer as well as to other supervisory posts at the station level.
Two members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force were also interdicted pending further inquiries.
The High Command also announced that the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau was leading a comprehensive management review of the division.
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