Major crimes down in Westmoreland, says police superintendent

Karrie Williams, Gleaner Writer

Westmoreland is reporting a 24 per cent reduction in major crimes between January and May this year when compared with the corresponding period last year, according to commanding officer of the Westmoreland Police Division, Superintendent Carol George McKenzie.

Though not providing any specific data for rape and robberies, McKenzie highlighted these crimes as causing major concern across the parish.

We have had a 44 per cent clear-up rate in murders and shootings, respectively, in comparison to our 2012 figures of a 33 per cent clear-up rate for murders and 21 per cent for shootings, McKenzie, who has been in charge of the parish since December 2012, said.

AREAS OF CONCERN

The communities of Alma and Geneva in Little London, Old Road and Logwood in Withorn, and Burnt Savannah were identified as major hot spots in the parish. However, with added emphasis on community policing, the superintendent said he was determined to take back the parish and reduce the fear of citizens.

Said McKenzie: We want to remove the stigma from Westmoreland as a parish that is stigmatised by crime, especially robberies, shootings, and murders so that Westmoreland will be back to its former glory not crime-free, but for citizens to be able to live in an environment which is tolerable, he said.

On the issue of public distrust of the police, McKenzie said his officers are encouraged to be prudent in the execution of their duties and careful in terms of their public utterances, attire, and general grooming.

Everything has to tempered with time. We want to re-engage and rekindle lost relationships, and we do that primarily through our community safety and security officers, he said.