'It's unacceptable'

POLICE Commissioner Gary Griffith insisted yesterday that while 500 murders have been committed for the year, the figure could have been closer to 600, had he not instituted new anti-crime measures on coming into office four months ago.

On assuming office, Griffith said he mandated the Homicide Bureau and all divisional commanders to adopt new strategies to deal with the escalating murder rate. He believes these measures contributed to murders not being committed as rapidly since then.

“Five hundred homicides is just as serious as 473 last year," he said and if the number were 499 or becomes 501, it makes no difference. Every death should not be seen as just a statistic. It is obvious the homicide rate is unacceptable.

"However, within the last four months, there has been an over-ten-per-cent decrease in homicides in comparison with the same period last year, and up until July we were going up to over 600. It is not success, but it is measured progress, and it means that we are going in the right direction,” Griffith said.

Griffith said foreign expert assistance will be key to new strategies to be adopted in the new year to deal not only with new murders but cold cases. He said apart from leaning on foreign expertise, the police will be going after the gangs and intelligence-led policing will be key to making a breakthrough.

Last year the murder toll was 473, compared with 500 as of yesterday. Statistics also show that last year, 27 murders had been committed up until December 12, compared with 16 this year. The all-time record is 544 murders recorded in 2008.

Snr Supt Inraj Balram, head of Central Division where the 500th murder was committed, said this was the 81st murder for the year in this division compared with 80 last year for the same period.

Murder No. 500 took place at 4 am yesterday when residents of 10th Street, Edinburgh 500, heard a single gunshot. Police found a man in dark clothing, with a hoodie pulled over his face, with from a gunshot wound to the cheek. A cell phone in the man's pants pocket was handed over to the Cyber Crime Unit, so relatives could be contacted.

Assistant Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob said while Northern Division saw an increase in murders, Eastern Division had a slight decrease.

"Unfortunately, the Northern Division has crossed 105 up until this time for 2018," he said. "It is now at 108, but we are trying our best to ensure it does not reach the 2016, figure when there were 124 murders up until December 12."

With respect to the Eastern Division, up until yesterday there were 33 murders, compared with 37 for the same period last year. Northern Division has a higher murder toll than the other eight divisions. Central has the second highest.