An SOE checkpoint at St. James close to Salt Spring

 

An SOE checkpoint at St. James close to Salt Spring

 St. James's Rose Hall — ACP Clifford Chambers, the head of Area One Police, is optimistic that offenders who managed to evade the state of public emergency (SOE) in St. James will be apprehended.

On the fringes of the Police Civilian Oversight Authority (PCOA) special awards event held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on Wednesday, he said media, "There is strong information that persons who are wanted in St James are elsewhere outside of St James."

 Security officers are pursuing the thugs, according to the senior police officer.

"There's really no way out," Chambers declared.

His remarks were made shortly after a guy who was suspected of many killings in St. James, including one at the Salt Spring Primary and Infant School gates, was killed on Wednesday in St. Mary.

"The manifestation of what happened in Mason Hall, St Mary, is indicative of criminals moving out of the space because of the heightened police activities," said ACP Chambers.

 Even when we make an effort to obstruct them and then launch operations directed at them, occasionally persons manage to evade consequences due to the legality of the announcements regarding the execution of the SOE. Furthermore, he said, "Moving from one place to another is frequently the next step taken by someone who has committed a serious crime.

He declared that the police will be collaborating among several departments to capture the fugitives.

"As things stand right now, every unit, division, and area of our police is working together to coordinate and carry out related investigations. ACP Chambers pledged, "We would follow them wherever they go and fulfill our responsibility to get them.

On November 8, the government proclaimed a 14-day state of emergency in St. James. There had been no announcement as of the time of publication on whether it will try to get the governor general to approve of another. That is one of its options rather than attempting to persuade the Opposition, which has made it clear that it opposes the long-term usage of SOEs, to accept an extension.

ACP Chambers recognized the difficulties the police confront in light of offenders fleeing into other parishes and the impending expiration of the SOE.

"It tells us that our job will always be a tough one," he stated.

Still, he seemed optimistic that they may still have an influence in the absence of an SOE.
 

"When the state of emergency comes to an end I am certain that the high command will initiate other operational initiatives," stated the ACP.

"We have various initiatives that can be put in place to continue the pursuit, even though they may not have the legal latitude that the military has under SOE," he stated.

Odaine "Jungle" Barrett was shot and killed on Wednesday at Mason Hall, St. Mary, during a combined operation between St. James police and the St. Mary Area Two operational formation.

Barrett, according to ACP Chambers, had been sheltering in the eastern parish.

"The police pursued the individual who challenged them to a shoot-out with them after receiving information and intelligence from him. He was shot and injured by the police when they returned fire, and they also found an illegal handgun on him. The chief police officer stated, "He was taken to the hospital but was declared dead when they arrived.

"We are urging those who are wanted to turn themselves in to the police, and we also urge the public to get in touch with the police if they have any reason to think that someone living in their neighborhood is someone who is wanted." [We request that they] refrain from assisting them as doing so is moreover a violation," he advised.