Cops on alert

Police in western Jamaica say they are preparing for the anticipated deportation of a once-reputed area leader from Flanker in Montego Bay, St James, insisting that his expected return to the island will not derail the significant gains made in reducing violent crime across Area One over the past decade.

The issue formed part of town hall discussions this week as Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake visited Area One, where senior commanders reviewed crime trends, assessed the policing strategies behind the sustained decline in murders and discussed measures to preserve those gains amid emerging security challenges.

During the meeting, held Wednesday at Area One headquarters in Montego Bay, Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels, commander of the St James Police Division, disclosed that the police are aware that the man, who was previously deported to the island from the United States in 2018, is expected to be sent back to Jamaica again in the near future.

While declining to discuss operational details, Samuels indicated that the Area One command is already preparing for that eventuality and remains determined to ensure that the former area leader’s anticipated return does not undermine the progress made in suppressing violent crime.

The strategic review was led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Glenford Miller, commander of Area One, and included the heads of the region’s four police divisions.

76 per cent drop in murders

Samuels, Senior Superintendent Samuel Blake, acting commander of Westmoreland; Superintendent Andrew Nish, commander of Hanover; and Superintendent Velonique Campbell, commander of Trelawny, make up the leadership in Area One.

Statistics presented by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) show that the four police divisions that comprise Area One – St James, Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny – recorded 563 murders in 2018, the highest annual total over the period under review.

By the end of 2025, that figure had fallen to 135 murders, representing a 76 per cent decline.

As at July 18, 2026, the four divisions had collectively recorded 68 murders, including 38 in St James, 15 in Westmoreland, 10 in Hanover and five in Trelawny.

The statistics show that murders in Area One increased from 467 in 2017 to 563 in 2018, a 20.6 per cent increase.

The following year, however, the region recorded a dramatic turnaround, with murders falling to 240, representing a 57.4 per cent decline.

The murder tally then climbed to 303 in 2020, a 26.3 per cent increase, before rising to 352 in 2021 (16.2 per cent) and 413 in 2022 (17.3 per cent).

Murders dipped slightly to 401 in 2023, a 2.9 per cent reduction, before falling sharply to 297 in 2024, representing a 25.9 per cent decline.

The downward trend accelerated in 2025, when murders dropped by a further 54.5 per cent to 135.

Addressing members of the Area One command, Blake reflected on the remarkable transformation in the region’s crime landscape.

“Remember those days? Last year it was 135, coming from 563. That’s some amazing achievement,” the commissioner told officers.

Blake also pointed to the significant improvements in St James, once regarded as one of the country’s most violent police divisions.

“Last year at this time, we were celebrating because we had, I think, one month with one murder. That is unheard of for St James,” he said.

While acknowledging the progress, the commissioner cautioned officers against complacency.

“We can’t ever be satisfied until we get where we want to go,” Blake said, adding that the Jamaica Constabulary Force remains committed to reducing Jamaica’s murder rate to levels comparable with regional averages.

Area One has historically been one of Jamaica’s most violence-plagued police commands, driven largely by high murder rates in St James and Westmoreland.

The region’s transformation has been particularly significant, given its violent past.

At various times, St James was plagued by notorious gangs such as the Stone Crusher, Killer Bees and Flanker, while police in Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny battled entrenched criminal organisations operating in communities including Kings Valley, Russia, Logwood, Cacoon, Warsop and Duncans.

Police credit sustained intelligence-led operations, targeted anti-gang initiatives and coordinated policing across the four divisions for the sharp decline in murders over the past decade.

Police say those efforts will continue as they prepare for future security challenges, including the anticipated deportation to Jamaica of England, whose expected return has already come under the attention of Area One commanders.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com