KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) says it is concerned about the contents of a viral social media video allegedly depicting a Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) officer issuing veiled death threats against Jamaican citizen(s).

In a statement Friday, the JFJ said if the contents of the video are true, at a minimum, there were flagrant breaches of the numerous force orders including the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Police Public Policy  Interaction Policy.  

“At its worst, it is vulgar barefaced oral assertion that a serving member of the JCF is prepared to engage in extrajudicial killings whilst breaching existing laws which prohibit the use of profanity. We must remember that improper police action, unprofessional conduct, and excessive force are the main reasons for some citizen mistrust of the JCF,” the JFJ said.

“It is important to note that in a country with such high levels of crime, one needs JCF. The video undermines the moral authority of the JCF which is necessary in our fight against crime. It is always an attack on decency, law and order whenever a few individual police officers act in a manner inconsistent with the core of the JCF by, for example, using expletives to address citizens or use of homophobic pejoratives as seen in the video,” it continued.

The body said all law abiding citizens should be appalled by the conduct demonstrated in the video.

“If it is true, it would mean that some of our law enforcers are our law breakers. This conduct should not be met with impunity since it can further undermine the noble JCF,” the body said.

It added that social media videos like these undermine the fight against crime and the sterling work of the majority of the law-abiding members of the JCF and it is, therefore, important that the good men and women in the JCF do something against the actions depicted in the video.  

JFJ called for the constabulary to publicly state whether:

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]The activity displayed in the video was determined to be a conjecture or genuine;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]The person displayed in the video is still a serving (unsuspended) member of the JCF;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]The ‘investigation’ will be completed in a timely manner;[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]The ‘investigation’ will seek to determine whether criminal charges should be laid against the person captured on the video; and[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]The offending police officer will continue, without interdiction, in the force until this investigation is completed by the unnamed investigatory unit.[/naviga:li]

[/naviga:ul]

JFJ further noted that while the issue of illegal possession of firearm is one that needs urgent tackling, it is imperative that the security force acts within the remit of the law, and where the law falls short, the duty of the legislature is needed in making the necessary amendments.

“We will not advance in our fight against crime until our law enforcers, law-makers and citizenry start to respect the rule of law. We cannot create justice by being unjust,” the body said.