Crash claims life of two cops

The Police High Command has expressed sadness at the death of two police constables who died as a result of injuries they sustained in a motor vehicle accident on the York Town main road, May Pen, Clarendon, yesterday.

The deceased have been identified as constables Jessica West and Shawn Atkins, members of the Area 3 Police Division.

According to the police, about 6:30 p.m., the cops were in a service vehicle travelling along the roadway, on reaching a section of the roadway, the driver allegedly lost control of the unit that went over a ditch. The injured cops were assisted to the May Pen Hospital where West and Atkins died while a third was admitted in a serious but stable condition.

"The Jamaica Constabulary Force is expressing condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the constables, who were assigned to the Area 3 Headquarters in Clarendon," the police said yesterday.

Meanwhile, Dr Lucien Jones, chairman of the National Road Safety Council, describes the loss as a great tragedy.

"It's really a heartbreaking thing to hear, and for the family to experience, about death happening in the line of duty when police personnel are trying to protect and to keep us safe," Jones said.

A staggering 265 road deaths have been recorded since the start of the year. Eighteen of those deaths have occurred in September.