St. Ann Police deploy specialised Crime Band Team on weekends to curb murders

October 20, 2026

The St. Ann Police have employed a specialized Crime Band Team on weekends aimed at reducing murders that occur during that time-frame.

Murders are down by 40% in the parish, while shootings have decreased by 60% so far this year.

Commander of the police division, Senior Superintendent Carlos Russell explained that the police identified that Ocho Rios and St. Ann’s Bay accounted for 70% of the murders in 2025.

Several strategies were developed to address the issue, including the Crime Band Team.

He said the work of its intelligence-led team also resulted in several people being apprehended.

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SSP Russell emphasized the importance of community meetings in building trust and gathering intelligence from citizens to support the crime-reduction strategy.

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