St James residents urged to seek permission for social events

WESTERN BUREAU:

Senior Superintendent of Police Eron Samuels, the policer commander for St James, is reminding persons who want to hold social events in their communities to first seek permission from the police and the municipal authorities, so that the requisite security measures can be put in place.

Samuels issued the reminder while addressing last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC), where he reported that St James had recorded 45 murders to date, which is four more than the corresponding period last year.

“We are just asking, especially when it comes on to events, that persons make sure that they apply for these events at the municipal corporation and especially with the police, so that we can properly manage these events. They give rise for incidents to occur if they are not properly monitored, especially if we do not know about them in the really rural areas,” said Samuels.

“When persons are drinking alcohol without some form of enforcement around them, it may cause arguments that can lead to stabbings, or if they have legal or illegal weapons, it can cause incidents to happen,” Samuels added. “With the police being in the space, it gives rise for persons not to carry illegal weapons, and for persons to feel safe also while at the events.”

Despite recent strides by the police to reduce crime in St James, the police division is recording the most murders in Jamaica, ahead of St Andrew Central (35) and St Andrew South (29).

In 2025, St James recorded a total of 58 murders, 13 more than the parish’s current tally.

Last Thursday, Samuels also addressed reports about noise disruptions in some communities, particularly Barrett Town and The Estuary, where persons allegedly operate sound systems out of their motor vehicles at varying hours of the night, disturbing residents.

“Just like any event, if the music is audible at over 100 metres, the Noise Abatement Act stands and we can prosecute that person. When these things happen, we want you to reach out to us quickly so we can stop the persons, even if it means seizing the vehicles because we cannot pull the sound system out of the vehicle, but the law gives us the opportunity to seize the equipment, so we will end up seizing the vehicle,” said Samuels.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com