Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in making the announcement said the SOE is to run for 14 days commencing 12:01 am on Tuesday.
"Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, acting on the advice of the Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson and the Chief of Defence Staff, Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, authorised the declaration of the SOEs," a release from the prime minister said.
The police commissioner, speaking on the development, said: "The Clarendon Police Division has witnessed a significant increase in murders and shooting incidents with a 6,736 increase in murders and a 419 increase in shooting incidents as of May 14, compared to the same period last year. This necessitates the declaration of a State of Public Emergency.”
For the St James Division, he reported that "although experiencing a decline in murders by 27 per cent, the parish still had the highest number of murders across all police divisions, with a total of 69 recorded. The division also had the fourth highest number of shooting incidents, with 34 incidents during the same period last year.”
He added: “The Hanover Division witnessed the highest increase in murders, with a 75 per cent rise as of May 14, compared to the same period in 2022.”
Wemyss-Gorman also underscored that “the JDF stands behind the recommendation for the declaration of a State of Public Emergency covering the parishes of Hanover, St James, and Clarendon. We are committed to working closely with the Jamaica Constabulary Force to secure our nation.”