St James residents fear return of deported gangsters
... despite cops saying they are prepared to handle situation
Published:Tuesday | February 4, 2025 | 12:06 AMAdrian Frater/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
While the St James commander Superintendent Eron Samuels is confident that the police are prepared to handle criminal deportees from the United States who might return to continue their activities, many residents, particularly in volatile communities, are anxious.
“I was so happy when pressure from Superintendent [Vernon] Ellis caused many of them to run away in 2018, and while the community is not perfect now, at least we’re not having the daily and weekly killings again,” a resident of Salt Spring told The Gleaner on Monday, referencing Samuels’ predecessor. “I really don’t want them back here. We are better off without them.”
Last week, Samuels assured Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness that the St James police stands ready to arrest deportees who had committed crimes and fled the island and monitor others who had a criminal history in the United States or in Jamaica before they left.
Under the Trump administration’s immigration policy, thousands of undocumented immigrants are being deported to their countries of origin. Hundreds of Jamaicans are believed to be among the more than 10 million people on the radar for deportation.
“We are already looking at the persons (criminals) we believe have migrated and may be coming back ... [especially] those that have a criminal past that we may have issues with, in terms of gangs,” said Samuels.
“We are also looking at the persons who are coming, if they are wanted ... . We have some persons who were wanted and they run off to the States. We are ensuring that the case files are prepared so when they are back, they can be properly charged and placed before the court,” he added.
A Mountt Salem resident, who was shot by a gangster who fled the island, does not want such criminals back in Jamaica.
“Bringing back more criminals on what we already have cannot be a good thing,” he told The Gleaner. “I know what it is like to feel victimised and traumatised by gangsters.”
CONCERN OVER INFLUX
While Samuels’ confidence is noted, a former top-flight cop with experience in St James expressed concern over the influx of seasoned criminals.
“Over the past 15 to 20 years, we have been getting over 100 murders every year, primarily because of gang conflict over turf and lottery scamming money. These guys ... are not like the criminals of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. They have access to big money, they can buy the most powerful guns, buy the fastest cars, hide away in the best villas and guest houses, and they can also tempt and corrupt police officer with significant bribes,” the former lawman said.
“Having been exposed to crime in America, I believe many of them will come back more sophisticated, ... so I really hope the police have a foolproof plan to handle them,” said the ex-cop, noting that the cooperation of citizens will be key to the success of Samuels and his team.