JFJ 'alarmed' at 163 per cent increase in police killings

Rights group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has raised alarm over what it describes as a troubling surge in fatal police shootings, warning that Jamaica risks backsliding into the "dark days" when "accountability for security force actions was virtually non-existent".

In a statement issued today, JFJ's Executive Director Mickel Jackson noted that the 50 fatal shootings recorded since the start of 2025 more than double the 19 recorded for the similar period last year, a 163 per cent increase.

"This represents an unacceptable and troubling trend that threatens Jamaica’s democratic principles and human rights advancements," she said, adding that the situation has improved with the establishment of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) in 2010. The body investigates shootings by the security forces as well as citizens’ claims of abuse by the constabulary.

Deputy Commissioner of INDECOM Hamish Campbell has also said the issue is alarming. He said there were 22 police killings for January and February in 2024.

JFJ's warning comes against the backdrop of yesterday's remarks by National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang, who dismissed concerns of extrajudicial police killings, asserting that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is now a more intelligence-driven organisation that "knows the criminals and will find them."

"It’s not a hit squad we have here. That’s [a] thing of the past," Chang said. "[It’s a] structure that identifies individuals who are involved in criminal activities and build the files around them."

However, JFJ cautioned that the trend of police killings is alarming. "If this trend continues, Jamaica could see over 250 citizens killed by members of the security forces by the end of the year – a number that could rival the dark 2000s and certainly the 258 fatalities recorded in 2013."

While JFJ stopped short of labelling the incidents as extrajudicial killings, the organisation pointed to the absence of body-worn camera footage in many of these fatal encounters. "Beyond the intolerably high numbers is a common pattern in the INDECOM’s statements: no body-worn cameras were reported as issued or worn in these fatal encounters."

The JCF has attributed this issue to storage capacity constraints, but JFJ insisted on greater transparency and urgency in addressing the matter. "We, however, demand a concrete timeline from the JCF leadership on when the data storage infrastructure will attain capacity to ensure that body-worn cameras are effectively utilized in all police operations."

The police force has reported that 750 body-worn cameras are deployed, but JFJ has questioned their effectiveness. "JFJ asks a reasonable yet obvious question: where are the body-worn cameras in these fatal incidents?"

"Now more than ever, law enforcement must operate with the highest levels of transparency and accountability," the group said.

Yesterday, Chang said the police know the criminals in the country and will pursue them. He urged them to turn themselves in.

"When the case is built, they (police) go for them. And then when they (criminals) hear they're coming, I advise them to 'please, come in'. We'll make sure you're treated well and go to the courts. We have a very conservative and a very good court system."

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