COMMISSIONER of Police Gary Griffith said he has received almost 30 death threats and he expected to receive more.
He was speaking yesterday at the sod-turning ceremony for the new Carenage police station.
He said two weeks ago the country was on track to have a ten per cent reduction in homicide for the first six months compared to last year through the hard work and commitment of the police after receiving the tools and all that is required from the Government.
“Unfortunately some evil men start a shooting frenzy in the last few weeks and this has not just increased the homicide rate, it also caused the fear of crime to kick back to the nation that started feeling safer.”
Griffith said this small percentage of criminals, the “enemy of the State,” cannot and will not succeed in their plans once the 1.3 million citizens “circle the wagons” to work together and defeat them. He said the police will take on the criminals in the front line and head on and they will be defeated.
“Wherever they are, whoever they are, be it in the sea, in the hills, in the streets, urban or rural areas, we will hunt them down and take them down.” He encouraged citizens to not allow this enemy of the State to take their hope, faith and trust.
“I assure you I will not fail. I want you to know that we will not fail.”
He continued: “They think by attacking each other to increase the homicide rate will cause us back off. They are mistaken. It is just the opposite.”
Griffith said he planned to cripple the base and operational effectiveness of these criminals and citizens will see this in the near future.
He said the death threats in his first year as commissioner is an indication that he is “stepping on some toes.”
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