Five parishes and sections of St. Andrew are under States of Public Emergency (SOEs).

The SOEs for St. James, Hanover, Westmoreland, St. Catherine, Clarendon and the St. Andrew South Police Division were declared today.

They began at 12:01 this morning and were declared due to high criminal activity.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister says the prevalence of violent crimes, and gang warfare-in all the areas declared, immediately threaten public order-and public safety, and foster a sustained high-level of fear -and-insecurity, among citizens, on a scale, that necessitates these security measures.

It said, acting on the advice and recommendations of the Police Commissioner and the Chief of Defence Staff, the Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen, declared SOEs in the areas due to the high level of criminal activity.

The security chiefs advised that over the period January 1 to December 5, 2023, the St. Andrew South Police Division produced the second highest number of murders, across all police divisions, with a total of 113 murders over the period. 

According to the release, the St. Catherine North Police Division produced the fourth highest number of murders, 109 among all police divisions.

The Clarendon and St. Catherine South Police Divisions recorded the fifth and sixth highest number of murders for the period with 100 and 94 murders respectively. 

It said the Clarendon Police Division also had the fourth highest increase in murders 10% when compared to 2022 figures.

For the western parishes, St. James continued to have the highest number of murders across all police divisions, with a total of 173 murders from January 1 to December 5, 2023. 

Additionally, Westmoreland with 110 murders, reflected the police division with the third highest number of murders over the same period. 

The statement added that hanover had 67 murders for the same period and was the police division with the highest increase in murders when compared with the same period in 2022.

In relation to population homicides per 100,000 population, St. James, Westmoreland and Hanover, reflected 103.3, 93.4 and 60.7 murders per 100,000, respectively at the end of 2022.

Since the start of 2023, murders per 100,000 inhabitants for St. James, Westmoreland and Hanover, stood at 90.2, 73.4 and 92.4 respectively.

The Office of the Prime Minister said, this is significantly higher, than the regional average rate, of 15.1 per 100,000, and the world average rate of 6.1 per 100,000.

Meanwhile, the security chiefs noted that there are over 25 gangs of substantial concern, operating in the St. Andrew South Police Division, with approximately 52% of the murders being attributed to gang activities. 

There are also over 25 gangs of considerable interest, operating in Clarendon and St. Catherine, accounting for approximately 50% of the murders.

There are also another 25 gangs of significant concern operating within the parishes of St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland, with approximately 70% of the murders in these parishes being gang related.

The Office of the Prime Minister said, given these numbers, the declaration of the SOEs was necessary.