NEWLY assigned Superintendent in charge of police in Clarendon, Dathan Henry, says that he will be seeking the help of the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT) to tackle the problem of extortion and homicides that has been stifling businesses in the central Jamaican parish.

"We are actively looking at it and discussing an approach as to which way to go. I think that assistance from the Major Investigation Task force (MIT) in Kingston will help us in finding a new, more modern approach to intercept and apprehend persons involved in extortion," Henry told the Observer.

Henry, who was assigned to the post a month ago, said that business owners in major Clarendon towns such as May Pen and Lionel Town have been suffering from the effects of the parish's spiralling crime rate. But addressing the problem, he said, is extremely tedious as people are afraid to report incidents to the police.

"We know that many of these persons are being extorted but when you go to them they deny it and that is one of our major setbacks. I came here and was introduced to a system for dealing with extortion but that system has to be completely revised and that is why we are seeking assistance from MIT," Henry said. He added that a series of background checks on key players in the extortion ring will have to be done before the elite body is summoned.

Henry, who served in May Pen as deputy chief officer with responsibility for administration between 2003 and 2005, also outlined several measures to curb the problem of gun-related crimes affecting the once peaceful rural parish.
The parish has recorded close to 100 murders since the start of the year.

Among the plans he mentioned were decreasing the influx and mobility of migratory criminals to the parish, a clampdown on the drug-for-guns trade by building better relations with the citizens and the implementation of investigation teams instead of one cop probing homicides.

"Teams will have to be assigned to investigate murders. What that does is that it reduces corruption and the effects of the inexperience of some officers," Henry said. "All the investigators probing a murder will have to meet at one table and each case file vetted out and signed off so the prosecution can make the best judgement as to our next step forward."

Henry added that the number of spot checks along major roadways leading into the parish will be increased.

"Clarendon is very wide and because of the close proximity to Spanish Town a lot of criminals move into the parish and set up residence. We have also been deploying officers and raiding premises where we believe these criminals are," said Henry.

Where the drug-for-guns trade is concerned, Henry said that the support of the public is key in addressing the problem. Intelligence from residents, especially those living in communities close to the parish's south coast, would be the driving force behind stemming the illicit trade, he told the Observer.