In any democratic society, the primary remit of the police is to keep communities safe by employing various strategies, tactics and methods. However, the style of policing adopted by the police is heavily influenced by the contextual and situational factors prevailing within the operating environment. These factors, to a large extent, determine the policing needs, which must be constantly assessed against the existing institutional capacity of the police force. This assessment is particularly important, since any shortfall in capacity will negatively impact the police’s ability to deliver on its mandate.

In 1997, Jamaica crossed the 1,000 mark for murders committed within a calendar year for the very first time. Since then, the country has seen an average murder count of 1,270 per annum. Last year, the country recorded a 10 per cent increase in murders over 2020, closing the year with 1,463 murders. This reflects a murder rate of 54 per 100,000 inhabitants, which places Jamaica among the top countries worldwide in terms of highest murder rates. This, undoubtedly, points to a very chronic and entrenched murder crisis.

There is no doubt that a reversal of this situation, which has persisted within the country for the better part of two and a half decades, will require strong, efficient policing as a first step. This entails building out the capacity of the police force in terms of its human resource, training, equipment and infrastructure to sustainably reduce the prevailing level of criminal violence.

Creating Sustainable Transformation

The only way to create sustainable transformation of our volatile and vulnerable communities is to reduce the violence, and separate the known criminals and violence producers from these communities. These criminals hold residents hostage by denying them their right to peace and quality of life within their communities. It goes without saying, therefore, that the first objective must be to target, disrupt and ultimately remove those who are involved in criminality and violence, using all the legal tools available. This means that the police have to apprehend and successfully prosecute these criminals by converting intelligence into evidence that can be used in criminal trials, while simultaneously incapacitating them by securing lengthy terms of imprisonment.

The police must be properly resourced in terms of the number of trained officers, access to modern policing tools and relevant legislations to effectively accomplish this objective. Communities where the level of criminal violence is overwhelming will require enhanced security measures.

While young males, in particular, are lured into these criminal gangs, the majority of them can be redirected to positive, licit pursuits in life. The removal of violence producers and their influence in the communities must be accompanied by strong and meaningful social investment to provide alternatives and give the people hope, restore their dignity and give them a chance to truly improve their lives. Strong, efficient policing is the foundation on which we can ensure real and sustainable transformation.

The Public Health Parallel

Crime is often referred to as a public health crisis and indeed its impact on society is comparable to that of other public health issues. Smoking, for example, is a major public health concern that is based on lifestyle choices which can ultimately result in fatal lung cancer. The long-term solution is public education and other behavioural change activities to reduce smoking. However, the patient already diagnosed with cancer (the killer) will require urgent surgical intervention to save life and restore quality of life. This requires a sophisticated operating facility within a fully equipped hospital, and a highly trained medical team headed by a very skilled, experienced surgeon and anaesthetist/intensive care physician.

Similarly, the gunslinger/killer must be apprehended and removed by highly trained, fully equipped police teams given all the necessary tools including enhanced security measures in order to save lives and restore safety in the community. Reduction of smoking, while absolutely necessary, will protect the patient’s children and family members, not the patient. In the same manner, strong, efficient policing is needed to remove violence producers and apprehend murderers while targeted social investments will lead to sustainability and offer a brighter future to our youths.

Controlling Criminal Violence

The effect of controlling criminal violence is the long-term treatment to effect sustainable transformation. Since 2010, with the exception of periods after the imposition of a state of public emergency (SOE), there has been no significant reduction in murders. The reduction in murders following the 2010 SOE was as a result of gangsters going into hiding for about two years. Critically, this period is remembered for having a high incidence of police fatal shootings.

States of emergency essentially suppress the criminal violence very quickly, disrupt the gangsters, help to save lives and provide a breathing space for social investment programmes to take root.

Building Force Capacity

The Government is investing in building out a strong police force and an effective security architecture. The deliverables so far have included:

1) Providing resources to allow the police commissioner to recruit 1,500 applicants this year;

2) Budgetary allocation to facilitate the establishment of a highly trained specialised operations outfit including a Technology Branch, for the first time in the history of the JCF;

3) Procurement of fit-for-purpose vehicles for efficient patrolling of communities;

4) Budgetary allocation for the expansion of the JCF’s communications system to enhance connectivity and quick operational response;

5) Modernisation of the police physical infrastructure to make police stations more community friendly;

6) Re-energised bilateral partnerships to support the establishment of Domestic Violence Interruption Centres at police stations across the island;

7) Upgrading of the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine (IFSLM) and increasing its DNA and ballistics analytical capabilities and the operationalisation of the National DNA Database.

8) The Criminal Justice Administration (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) (Amendment) Act — PASSED;

9) The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) Act and regulations — PASSED;

10) Amendments to the Trafficking in Persons Act — PASSED;

11) Amendments to the Corrections (Amendment) Act — PASSED;

The End Game

The process is not yet complete. The cumulative effect of these investments will result in Jamaica having a strong police force that is capable of effectively dealing with the hardened, heavily armed gunmen. This holistic approach will reduce the criminal violence and restore public safety and good order.

The Government is committed to ensuring that Jamaica has a highly trained, efficient and professionalised police force. They must be provided with all the necessary tools to operate efficiently. We must implement a comprehensive social transformation programme to restore hope to the people in a meaningful way. Hard policing is the first step — we must remove the killers and their guns from the communities.

— Dr Horace Chang is Jamaica’s deputy prime minister and minister of national security. He is member of Parliament for St James North Western. Send feedback to securityminister@mns.gov.jm