Four areas of St Ann have been identified by the police for special focus as they try to keep crime levels below last year’s.
The communities are Mansfield Heights or Falklands, just outside Ocho Rios proper; Claremont Street in Runaway Bay; Phoenix Park in Moneague and Steer Town, near Mammee Bay. Steer Town had come under some control up to earlier this year when police remove it from its troubled areas and Phoenix Park is being mentioned for the first time as an area needing special police attention.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Rudolph Taylor gave the news about the communities at the monthly meeting of the St Ann Municipal Corporation (SAMC), Thursday, November 8. He was giving the police report at the meeting and noted that major crimes were down in the parish.
However DSP Taylor said “some areas continue to be a challenge and concern to us…”
He named Phoenix Park, Moneague as having had an “upsurge of robberies” including of personal items. He said two suspects from outside the parish were in custody and were to face identification parades. Councillor Kelly of the Moneague Division publicly thanked the police and said they had acted swiftly in response to the robberies.
In Steer Town, near Mammee Bay there were recent shootings. DSP Taylor said the police have charged one man and two suspects have fled the parish. The North Coast Times was unable to get details about the person charged.
Pointing to Claremont Street, Runaway Bay, DSP Taylor said that in Claremont Street there had been murders and shootings. In the most recent case of shooting one man was arrested and charged. He was identified only as Blacks. DSP Taylor said that had helped bring calm to the community. He said it was still tense.
In the case of Falklands in Ocho Rios, police from the Community Safety and Security branch and councillor for the area, Michael Belnavis have carried out some social intervention and that, DSP Taylor said had helped the area to become calm, though tense.
