Reinforcement has arrived in the community of Canterbury in St. James which has been the scene of a major gun battle involving police and gunmen which up to midday Wednesday, had been going on for five hours.

Four policemen were shot and injured after men with high powered weapons in the hilly areas of Canterbury, fired on a police team which had gone to the area in search of criminals.

It's reported that one of the injured policemen is in serious condition. No civilian has been injured in the shoot-out. In the meantime, a group of representatives of the Police Federation is now on its way to Canterbury to provide support to the four injured policemen.

Chairman of the Police Federation, Sergeant David White said that the latest attack on police personnel is of grave concern.

And the outbreak of violence in Canterbury has affected schools in the community. Classes were suspended early at Cornwall College which is situated close to the area. There are about 1,200 students on roll.

Shortly before 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, classes ended and parents were asked to collect their children after the police advised the school's administration to take precautionary measures.

And, students on the afternoon shift at the Albion Junior High School have been asked not to attend classes. The school ended its morning shift earlier.

Over, at the Mount Alvernia Preparatory School, parents are being asked to collect their children. However, classes will continue as scheduled at the Mount Alvernia High School.

{Oct 15, 2003}

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I was reading the other day that Commanding Officer of the St. James Division, Supt. Newton Amos, has praised the National Intelligence Bureau of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) for gleaning valuable information that might have saved the lives of members of the JCF who went on an operation in Canterbury, St. James on Wednesday (October 15). I guess they were smart.