JFJ warns of spike in police killings

Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has hit back against claims that it only speaks out when civilians are killed by police but remains silent when lawmen are murdered.

The human rights watchdog insists it condemns all acts of violence, including attacks on law enforcement, while calling for greater transparency and accountability in the wake of a dramatic rise in fatal police shootings. According to JFJ, 50 people have been fatally shot by members of the security forces since the start of 2025, more than doubling the 19 recorded during the same period in 2024.

JFJ said the significant increase in the number of fatal shootings involving members of the security forces "represents an unacceptable and troubling trend that threatens Jamaica's democratic principles and human rights advancements."

"If this trend persists, Jamaica risks regressing to the dark days before the establishment of the Independent Commission of Investigations, when accountability for security force actions was virtually non-existent."

It said that the progress we have made in the past decade in holding law enforcement accountable and protecting human rights is at serious risk.

"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."

Meanwhile, JFJ executive director, Mickel Jackson, emphasised that the organisation's role is not to oppose the police, but to advocate for the highest standards of professionalism and accountability within the force.

"If a law enforcement officer is killed, this is something that JFJ condemns. We can appreciate that this is an attack on the state itself, so we strongly condemn any such incident," Jackson said.

"We stand with the good men and women of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), but we show our support by ensuring that officers act with the highest level of integrity in executing their duties."

The human rights watchdog has raised concerns about the lack of transparency in fatal police encounters, particularly in relation to body-worn cameras. While the JCF recently reported an increase in the number of body-worn cameras, now deployed to about 750 officers, Jackson questioned their use in recent fatal incidents.

"If the JCF has 750 cameras deployed, where are they in these fatal incidents?" she questioned.