Greenwich Farm celebrating new era of peace - Police, citizens working together to eliminate borders

For the first time in more than a decade, residents of Greenwich Farm in St Andrew are able to traverse the community without fear.

This is according to head of the St Andrew South Police Division Superintendent Damion Manderson, who said that the area has been violence-free since last September, a result of meaningful initiatives between the lawmen and the citizens.

"Over the past few years, Greenwich Farm has had at least 10 murders per year and it is coming from a time period that was much greater than that. We have seen gangs coming back in the area and affecting the safety and security of the community, but through direct and engagement and partnership with the citizens, we have embarked upon a project in targeting the gangs or remnant of gangs in the area," he said.

The senior cop said over the years, there have been at least six gangs operating out of the once embattled space. He said the disruption of the gangs led to a number of arrests, while some gang members have left the area. Greenwich Farm has been under a zone of special operations for almost seven years. As a result, Manderson said there has been stifled growth in the community as the area has been under constant curfew.

"We started with meetings in different areas of the community and we also then reached out to influential persons who lived inside and outside of the community. This includes JPs (justices of the peace), pastors and, fortunately or unfortunately, we reached out to persons who have been described as 'gangsters', and ultimately, at the end of it, they all came to the conclusion that what was causing the violence in the community is totally unnecessary and unproductive," Manderson said.

A peace march which was staged in February was attended by more than 1,000 residents, a number of whom were stepping out of the imaginary borderlines and boundaries for the first time in years.

"Persons could not go on certain streets, so we brought in the bands and the dance troopers and we walked from West Avenue and throughout the entire Greenwich Farm," he said.

COMMUNITY

"You have some persons who, because of the conflict, could not travel to certain streets. There are persons who said that for over a decade they did not venture into certain sections of the community. There are teenagers who have never been on some streets because they were told it was not safe and was warned against it," Manderson added. He said that currently, Greenwich Farm is being led by the residents and not the dons.

"Those days of dons telling where you can and cannot go is over. What we have done is launched a corner league football [event]. The tournament is played on the streets every Wednesday and Sunday and everybody comes out and just unites and plays ball. The league is also not played at one location, but on different avenues. These games are streamed live so members of the diaspora log on and watch as well. This is funded by the police and we have JSIF (Jamaica Social Investment Fund) coming onboard now as well. We are planning on having job fairs and we will be launching the police youth club soon," he said.

As of March 30, which marks six months of a murder-free Greenwich Farm, Manderson said they have relaxed the curfews and people can now host parties and other entertainment events.

"The residents have asked that the police be present at every event they are hosting, so as a result, every event has to go through the proper application process. The police are there to ensure that no one from outside comes in and disturbs what they are doing. We had a treat in the lower section of the community just to build partnership with those living there," he said.

Manderson said the police have also extended similar initiatives and engagements to other communities in the division.