Police commissioner unfazed by criticism

ROXROY MCLEAN

STAR Writer

Despite a recent poll that said 91 per cent of Jamaicans have little to no faith in him, Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson yesterday said that he was undeterred and more "focused on what we are trying to do" in relation to the fight against crime and violence.

"I don't live in the office, I am on the road, I am outside, I am among the people. I get firsthand feedback from those people ... it is really some small people who tell you thanks sometimes and push you forward for what you are doing, and push you forward and encourage you and also your own members that creates the environment where you drive forward," said Anderson.

The RJRGLEANER Communications Group-commissioned Don Anderson poll was conducted between July 16 and 26. According to statistics obtained from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), 1,018 people have been killed between January 1 to September 1, 56 more than the corresponding period in 2021.

During the JCF's monthly press briefing at its headquarters in St Andrew, Anderson also shared that there was a 2.7-per-cent increase in major crimes across the 19 police divisions. However he said he had several reasons to be optimistic.

"What I look at really is the number of agencies, of persons, both local and foreign, who wish to partner with the JCF right now to deal with many concerns, both crime concerns, community concerns and a mechanism to bring us out of what has plagued us for many years," he said. "So when I look at the partnerships and the offers of partnership and the persons who wish to partner with us, to brand with us, to move things forward, I take note of that and I think that is important for myself as commissioner, but for the entire team, as we look at our strategies going forward and actually what we do."

Anderson also dismissed the thought that Jamaica could surpass its highest murder tally of 1,683, which was recorded in 2009.

"The record years are way beyond where we are now, but we are concerned that it is going up," he said. Anderson also referenced a six per cent decline in shootings and the recovery of 518 firearms in 2022 as evidence of improvement.