A 20-year veteran of the police force will serve as Jamaica's acting police chief while the island battles one of the world's highest murder rates.Owen Ellington had previously served as deputy police commissioner. He was appointed Tuesday, two days after Hardley Lewin resigned as police commissioner.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding told Parliament that he was not satisfied with Lewin's strategies. He did not provide details.
Golding said Jamaica is on course to surpass the record 1,674 homicides recorded in 2005. More than 1,200 people were reported slain through September.
Gang violence is blamed for 90 percent of the homicides on the Caribbean island of 3 million people.
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