Silence fueling crime rate - Mayor says residents should shoulder blame for crime

Mayor of Montego Bay, Homer Davis, says residents of communities with high levels of crime and violence must shoulder some of the blame as oftentimes they sit by and allow criminals to take control of their areas.

Against the backdrop of the slew of murders being committed in St. James that has pushed the parish total to more than 130 since the start of 2017, Davis said those behind the shootings and gruesome murders are known to the people.

"There are no strangers in all of this because ever everybody knows everybody," said Davis, who is also the chairman of the St James Municipal Corporation.

"People know who these persons are, who are creating the mayhem, but without the necessary co-operation, these guys cannot be taken out of society for too long," he added.

Davis said that in instances where the police have apprehended suspects, they are soon on the streets terrorizing communities because the people refuse to come forward and give evidence.

"The police also know who they are in most instances. Sometimes the police pick them up and carry them down to the station but when noone comes in to identify these guys or give evidence, the police have to release them. The police do not get what they need to ground their cases because the people are not coming forward and that is a big challenge," said Davis, a former cop.