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![NYPD and Jamaica officials look to dispel safety fears after travel advisory urges tourists to stay away from island 1 ddc7028c-1833-49be-9ba8-eb22b40a0375](https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ddc7028c-1833-49be-9ba8-eb22b40a0375-900x1200.jpeg.webp)
Deputy Commissioner of Public Info Tarik Sheppard (left) took a boots on the bottom strategy to the ominous advisory, spending from Feb. 6 to Feb. ninth assembly with police officers and surveying the lay of the land for himself alongside Police Commissioner of Public Info of Jamaica Main Basic Antony Anderson.
Photograph courtesy of NYPD
The NYPD and Jamaican officers are pushing again in opposition to the US Division of State’s Level 3 travel advisory which labeled the Caribbean island as unsafe to go to.
Within the Jan. 23 alert, the U.S. Division of State Bureau of Consular Affairs suggested residents in opposition to visiting Jamaica, citing violent crimes and ineffective response instances by police as causes to remain away. The bureau even strongly inspired those that nonetheless wish to go to Jamaica to buy traveler’s insurance coverage.
“Native police typically don’t reply successfully to critical felony incidents. When arrests are made, circumstances are sometimes prosecuted to a conclusive sentence. Households of U.S. residents killed in accidents or homicides incessantly wait a yr or extra for last dying certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities. The murder price reported by the Authorities of Jamaica has for a number of years been among the many highest within the Western Hemisphere,” a part of the advisory mentioned.
This announcement got here as a shock to many officers, together with the NYPD, who say they work carefully with the Jamaican police by sharing data.
Deputy Commissioner of Public Info Tarik Sheppard took a boots-on-the-ground strategy to the ominous advisory, touring to Jamaica on Feb. 6-9 to satisfy with police officers and surveying the lay of the land for himself. Sheppard, joined by Jamaica Main Basic Antony Anderson, spoke to amNewYork Metro through Zoom about his go to.
![NYPD and Jamaica officials look to dispel safety fears after travel advisory urges tourists to stay away from island 2](https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/83cd0879-8b0d-430e-9e7e-0879766a9e36.jpeg.webp)
“We discovered it somewhat shocking that every one of that is popping out now. Particularly since [tourism] is such a essential half in our financial exercise,” Anderson mentioned. “It type of got here out of left subject. So, I assumed it was vital that as a commissioner of police, we are able to say on to our guests, be a part of the diaspora or wherever, it is a stunning nation to come back and go to and keep. You’re protected right here.”
Sheppard said that the NYPD faces comparable points when battling notion versus the truth of crime statistics within the Massive Apple in addition to tourism being a significant half in each economies.
“What was hanging to me is that notion is a matter that we share. The issue is that you’ve a really protected space for vacationers, that could be a very stunning space for vacationers, and but this data can come out and be interpreted the unsuitable method and put individuals in worry,” Sheppard mentioned. “We cope with a few of that in New York Metropolis as nicely. We have now to share concepts of find out how to fight that and ensure that individuals know the proper of knowledge so that individuals really feel protected.”
Sheppard additionally railed in opposition to sects of people who’re placing communities in danger.
![NYPD and Jamaica officials look to dispel safety fears after travel advisory urges tourists to stay away from island 3](https://www.amny.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/705d3e92-54f7-4d46-9c8d-a45edcced8f5.jpeg.webp)
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness likewise made a public assertion pushing again in opposition to the State Division advisory, stating that crime is the bottom that it has been up to now 22 years. Anderson careworn that main crime is down 11%, homicide lowered by 8%, and rape is down 15%.
The Jamaican police drive is a couple of third of the dimensions of the NYPD, with roughly 14,000 uniformed law enforcement officials together with a small auxiliary and civil assist crew bringing the quantity to 17,000. Anderson says that gangs goal their rivals and though there aren’t any gun factories on the island, there’s a prevalence of gun trafficking.
“We’re additionally very engaged with communities. We’re a couple of third the dimensions of the NYPD, we’re a comparatively massive police drive,” Anderson mentioned. “I assure if you come right here and also you go to, you’ll be again. I do know if you’ll be again, you’ll inform your pals to come back again … if they arrive down right here and there’s one thing [goes wrong] that’s a easy name to us, and we’ll be there to assist no matter is occurring.”
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