The St Ann police could explore the option of patrolling the St Ann leg of the North South Highway, following its official opening in March.
Head of the St. Ann police, superintendent Wayne Cameron, while addressing a stakeholder’s meeting staged by the St Ann Police, noted that it could take less than 30 minutes for criminals to enter Ocho Rios.
The North-South link of Highway 2000 from the Caymanas intersection has cut travel time to Mammee Bay in St Ann to less than one hour.
SSP Cameron also noted that the highway runs adjacent to one of the parish’s “hotspot communities.” This community is Steer Town.
“I think we need some presence from our police on that highway,” he said.
It was announced in March by SSP Calvin Allen, who is in charge of the traffic and highway division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force that all facets of the Road Traffic Act would be strictly enforced, including the speed limit and there would be a daily deployment of officers on mobile patrol.
Mike Drakulich, managing director and co-founder of Mystic Mountain, also expressed his concern that crime “could come right at our gate”, with the new highway. His solution to this was a video surveillance system to be put in place so that there would not be an increase of crime coming into Ocho Rios.
BROWN’S TOWN BUS DRIVERS
In the meantime, SSP Cameron told the several stakeholders gathered that there would be “far more aggressive policing” in tackling bus and taxi operators throughout the parish who have no regard for the road traffic laws. The bus drivers, who ply the Ocho Rios to Brown’s Town route will also be targeted.
This he said would be done with the increased presence of the police on the roads at various intersections on early mornings and at peak hours.
Of note, the bus drivers, who ply the Ocho Rios to Brown’s Town route will also be monitored, according to SSP Cameron.
However, Farrah Blake, social relations manager at Bahia Principe hotel, is calling for better customer service skills from some police officers, especially when enquiries are made.
In addition, she said that in cases where motorists are stopped for speeding if a motorist asks to see the radar, sometimes has already timed out.
SSP Cameron said that issue would be looked at.
