A State of Public Emergency (SOE) has been declared in the St Catherine North Police Division, effective Tuesday, January 28, 2025, amidst escalating tensions in Spanish Town and surrounding communities.
The decision comes after the fatal shooting of Othneil Lobban, aka ‘Thickman’, the reputed leader of the One Order Gang, by members of the Joint Anti-Gang Task Force (JAGTF) last Wednesday.
Lobban’s killing sparked widespread unrest in Spanish Town, with residents blocking roads and setting fires. A curfew was implemented in Ellerslie Pen and Tawes Meadows communities, but security forces have requested further intervention to address the growing threat to public safety.
The SOE boundaries are defined as follows:
– East: From Windsor Castle and Carron Hall, extending south-easterly along the common boundary for the parishes of St Catherine, St Mary, and then St Andrew to Rock Hall.
– South: Generally in a south-westerly direction for approximately 33 kilometres to where the communities of Cromarty, Bushy Park, and Old Harbour Road meet.
– West: Continuing in a northerly direction along the common boundary between the parishes of St Catherine and Clarendon.
– North: Generally easterly along the shared boundary of the parishes of St Catherine, St Ann, and then St Mary, back to the starting point.
The Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff are urging the public to cooperate fully as security forces intensify their operations to protect law-abiding residents’ lives and livelihoods.
