August Town and the ZOSO

August Town community members are tired of the zone of special operations (ZOSO) and are seriously questioning its effectiveness and some residents have expressed frustration at the community being designated a ZOSO.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared August Town a zone of special operations on 8 July 2020. This was in response to the increased levels of crime, especially shootings, and the occurrence of gang activities in the community. It was anticipated that the presence of security forces – Jamaica Defence Force and police officers – would curb the violence. However, many residents are of the opinion that the measure is not having the desired effect.

Jholee Heslop, one resident, said that ZOSO had not been effective in the community, “Parties are still being held after curfew hours, and it causes a lot of traffic in the mornings and nighttime”. She noted that this made it hard for her, and the community members to get to work.

Heslop said that members of the ZOSO team “were searching vehicles, and when the traffic backed up, people like myself are getting to work very late”. She noted that not all employers were understanding about the hindrances that the ZOSO might impose on their workers.  Additionally, she said, the crime in her community had not stopped since the implementation of the zone of special operations. “People are still getting shot, soldiers were being shot at, so honestly it has its ups and downs,” said Heslop.

Another resident, who has asked to be unnamed, is also of the opinion that ZOSO is having in her community. “People might say the crime rate is down but that is because of the restriction of movement but I don’t think it is a prolonged fix,” says the resident. She also noted that she did not feel safer because the constant presence of members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) made her feel more unsafe. “This does not instill safety, but anxiety, because if there is another happening in the community, that central location is where a shoot-out might possibly happen,” said the resident.

She also added that the JDF soldiers had been sexually inappropriate with her. “They sexually harass, they catcall, and it’s just overall ineffective, and does not instill safety,” said the resident.

A member of the JDF, who is stationed at the patrol point agreed with the citizens. “It nuh mek nuh sense”. He said there had been killings  in fairly close proximity to the checkpoints. “The checkpoint deh right there so but they kill a boy further down the road from the checkpoint,” said the soldier. He noted that security presence might be more effective if they did not have to stay at the checkpoints.