KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck has given his support to the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) noting its legislative purpose and its role in preventing the excessive use of force by state agents against citizens.

Chuck, however, noted that the relationship that exists between the police and the Independent Commission of Investigation must be one of balance in order to ensure human rights are protected and justice is delivered.

He said that police officers must be held accountable but whenever they are investigated and found to be operating within the law INDECOM must “exonerate them” and place as much emphasis in publicising this.

The INDECOM Act of 2010 replaced the Police Public Complaints Act that established an internal mechanism to investigate the actions of the police that result in death or injury or the abuse of the rights of persons.

Despite the work of the Police Public Complaints Authority, the Bureau of Special Investigations and the results of several interventions at the legislative and policy levels, Jamaica continued to experience record levels of police violence and homicide as well as fatal shootings of police officers by hardened criminals.