‘Majoring in the minor’

Head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Strategic Operations Portfolio Deputy Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke (centre) in discussion with officers from the police Area Two (St Ann, St Mary and Portland) during a recent meeting where he urged commanders to ensure the area remains hostile territory for criminal elements.Photo: JCF THE St Mary police say the division has recorded 104 consecutive days without a murder and completed the entire second quarter of this year without a single homicide, as it continues to outpace its annual crime reduction targets. Commanding officer for the division, Superintendent Anthony Wallace, speaking during a recent divisional performance presentation, said St Mary has recorded seven murders so far this year, compared with 23 for the entire 2025, representing a 63 per cent reduction in murders year to date. He said the division is aiming to end the year with no more than 12 murders. According to Wallace, the division had deliberately set itself a more ambitious target than the national benchmark which is a 10 per cent reduction in murders when compared to 2025. “Our divisional target is 12… we don’t need 20. We have set ourselves a lofty goal from day one of sub-12, and it is achievable,” said Wallace. Among the division’s achievements he highlighted is that ‘Zone Two’, previously regarded as St Mary’s most violent policing zone, has now gone more than 18 months without a murder. The milestone marks a significant turnaround for an area which previously accounted for a disproportionate share of the parish’s murders and was long considered St Mary’s murder hotspot. Wallace also reported that the often troubled community of Enfield, in Zone Two, has not recorded a murder during the 18 months. He described the achievement as one of the clearest indicators that the division’s focused deterrence strategy is producing sustained results. “I want to highlight this point. We have seen no murders in Enfield, and this is another day in Zone Two, for over a year and six months,” Wallace noted. He attributed the improvement to intelligence-led policing, focused operations against known violence producers, and stronger engagement with communities. The commanding officer also credited the work of the Community Safety and Security Branch (CSS), whose activities have been expanded following an assessment that found many serious incidents stemmed from domestic disputes and unresolved interpersonal conflicts. “We have invested in CSS. We have also been majoring in the minor. Minor crimes have been given extra attention,” declared Wallace. He said the division had strengthened its community engagement through regular walk-throughs, church services and meetings with residents and stakeholders across the parish. “I’m currently on a partnership tour, meeting with all the stakeholders across the parish. They must know who is your commanding officer, tell them what we’re doing, how they can assist us and how we move forward,” Wallace added. He pointed out that police in the division have conducted more than 508 targeted raids since the start of the year, executed 15 major operations, and imposed more than 100 curfews aimed at preventing reprisals and disrupting criminal activity. Wallace said the police have also identified 41 people regarded as the parish’s principal drivers of violence for sustained enforcement action. He noted that the division’s investigative performance had also improved significantly, with murder and shooting clear-up rates both standing at 157 per cent, supported by the arrest of several priority offenders and dozens of convictions for serious crimes. “We remain committed. The management team understands what is required to get the job done. We continue to be guided by Area Two, and we think we’re heading in the right direction,” Wallace said. He added that the division intends to intensify its current approach rather than simply maintain it, expressing confidence that sustained enforcement, community partnerships and focused deterrence will preserve the gains made in Zone Two and across the wider parish.