Trelawny cops concerned about recruitment of students by gang
Published:Tuesday | January 21, 2025 | 12:09 AMLeon Jackson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Superintendent Winston Milton, the police commander for Trelawny, says intelligence has indicated that a criminal gang in the parish is on a drive to recruit students to strengthen its network and expand its reach.
Milton, who was speaking at the Joint Commencement Church Service between the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) at the New Testament Church of God in Bounty Hall, Trelawny, on Sunday, said intelligence has revealed that while four gangs were dismantled in 2024, one remains quite active.
“We started the year 2024 with five gangs operating in the Trelawny space, four of them have since been dismantled,” said Milton. “However, there is one gang called the Black Five Gang, which operates out of Clark’s Town, which we are very concerned about. We closed in on the gang, but the leader has left the area.”
Milton said the gang leader, who he did not name, is behind the recruitment of students to join the gang, which is steeped in criminal activities, especially in Clark’s Town.
“I want to inform him (the gang leader) that we are not confined to borders and he will be pursued to wherever our intelligence lead. We understand that he is operating outside the area and is masterminding a recruitment drive from the high schools,” said Milton. “We will not be sitting back or waiting on him, we will be going after him.”
Additional training
In speaking to the capacity of the police in the parish to target and pursue gangsters, Milton said that, during 2024, some 22 law enforcers, including himself, have received additional training and have been promoted, which is an indication that their operational competence has increased.
“This is an indication that these officers have received advanced level-two training and are capable of handling criminal gangs,” said Milton, in noting that the police are equipped to counteract the recruitment of students by gangsters.
“There are six high schools which we intend to target. The plan is to visit these schools and meet with the students. In each of these schools we will establish a police youth club. This club will facilitate constant meetings between students and police,” said Milton.
In speaking to the JCF’s serious crime report for 2024 for Trelawny, Milton said that except for aggravated assaults, all other crimes show a decrease.
“The Trelawny police finished second in the island as it relates to the clearing up of crimes. However, we are still concerned about murders. There were 24 murders and 10 of them resulted from interpersonal conflicts,” said Milton. “This is where relatives cannot resolve conflicts and resort to violence. We cannot be in every household, so we are asking the citizenry to establish a partnership with your neighbours and help to defuse conflicts where possible.”