The High Command of the Jamaica Constabulary Force has reacted strongly to what it terms "repeated flawed assertions" about its body worn camera programme.
The JCF was responding, in part, to the most recent call by the human rights advocacy group, Jamaicans for Justice [JFJ] for body worn cameras to be utilised in police operations.
JFJ made the call against the background of a report from INDECOM of a more than 50% increase in the number of people killed by the security forces in January this year, when compared with the corresponding period in 2024.
INDECOM said 28 people were fatally shot by the security forces so far this year, compared with 13 last year.
INDECOM, reporting on the three latest incidents, said no body worn camera was reported as being issued or worn by the officers involved.
In its statement on Friday, JFJ suggested that the use and activation of body worn cameras be mandated in legislation.
Executive Director Mickel Jackson added that the absence of the cameras continues to undermine transparency, accountability, and public trust in law enforcement.
But the JCF says statements like those of JFJ erode trust in the police and misrepresent significant efforts to modernise law enforcement in Jamaica.
Denying that it is resisting the use of body-worn cameras, High Command said implementing an effective programme requires a structured and strategic approach.
It cited various challenges, including the size of the JCF, which it says has more than 8,000 operational members, and the need for data management infrastructure to address the footage generated from the cameras.
Providing an update on its body worn camera programme, the JCF said over the last three years, several billion dollars have been invested in data storage solutions, network capacity, and digital security systems.
It says these are prerequisites, to ensure the cameras function reliably and the data they capture remain secure.
The JCF says it is now at the next phase of implementation which involves increasing from the current 750, the number of cameras in use.
It said additional cameras are already being procured and will be deployed before the end of this year.
For the cameras already in use, the police high command said the deployment strategy has been a focus on public order.
It said body worn cameras have already contributed to a reduction in confrontations and improved accountability in police-citizen interactions but, it did not provide examples or supporting data.
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