Police give wanted men Christmas Day break, issue Boxing Day deadline

Residents of Fitzgerald Avenue in the Maxfield community were urged by police during a street meeting last night to partner with lawmen in the new year to reduce violent crime, as officers also extended Christmas Day leniency to men being sought for questioning.

The meeting was held at the corner of Water Street and Fitzgerald Avenue and was attended by Divisional Commander for St Andrew South, Senior Superintendent Damion Manderson, along with members of his community safety and security team.

During the engagement, police reviewed crime trends in the area over the past year and addressed concerns raised by residents, including public safety, youth engagement, and police response to crime. The outreach formed part of the police's ongoing community engagement and crime prevention strategy.

Residents were told that the police are aiming to make sections of the Maxfield Avenue community, including Fitzgerald Avenue, a no shooting and no murder zone in the coming year. They were also informed that plaques will be issued at the end of next year to the community deemed the safest.

Police stressed that this goal can only be achieved with the active cooperation of residents, including the sharing of information and the rejection of criminal activity. Residents were also assured that social gatherings being enjoyed in neighbouring communities such as Greenwich Farm can be replicated in Fitzgerald Avenue.

The police also used the opportunity to call on several men who are wanted for questioning in connection with ongoing investigations to turn themselves in. The men were allowed to spend Christmas Day with their families but were warned that they have until 10 a.m. on Boxing Day, December 26, to report to the Hunts Bay Criminal Investigations Branch or the nearest police station, failing which they will be pursued.

Residents were encouraged to continue working closely with the police as the force intensifies efforts to reduce violence in surrounding areas.

The Fitzgerald Avenue community recorded at least two murders and several shooting incidents in 2025. The St Andrew South police division recorded the highest number of homicides across Jamaica as at December 20, with 74 murders. This represents a 38 per cent reduction when compared with 120 murders recorded around the same time last year.

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