Deputy Superintendent Michael Campbell, divisional commander for St Thomas, says that with several developments taking place across the parish, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is on the lookout for any opportunities that criminals could potentially exploit.

Noting the significant upgraded infrastructure resulting from the multibillion-dollar Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project’s implementation in St. Thomas, the senior officer advised that the police “are paying attention to the road network”.

This, he said, is to restrict any possible criminal movement in and out of the parish.

“We want to control our corridors and our gateways, so we are paying some attention to that. We are working assiduously to ensure that the parish of St. Thomas [is] the envy of others across Jamaica, especially in light of the developments that are taking place,” DSP Campbell said.

He was addressing the St. Thomas Municipal Corporation’s monthly sitting on February 13.

Meanwhile, DSP Campbell urges residents to invest in their personal security and that of their property by installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for their homes and investing in trackers for their vehicles.

“[If] you spend a couple of million dollars to buy a vehicle, you can invest in some security around it. Tracking, for example, [costs] another J$20,000 to J$50,000 [and it] can help to secure that property,” he explained.

DSP Campbell pointed out that the St. Thomas police have been working in a “significant way” with stakeholders to enhance the parish.

He noted that the lawmen are actively working on the perception of mistrust between the police and citizens, pointing out that the Community Safety and Security Branch is “very engaged”.

DSP Campbell reported that, so far, he has met with residents in key areas, with focus being placed on senior citizens as the police discuss ways in which they can make it more challenging for criminals to prey on them.