We join National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang in applauding the police for their efforts which led to 265 fewer murders in 2024 compared to 2023 — a reduction of 19 per cent to 1,139.

Obviously, that murder toll remains much too high, but the evidence is clear that our security forces are on the right track.

Dr Chang tells us that, in December, Jamaica recorded 73 murders, the lowest monthly count since September 2014. Further, Dr Chang tells us, the week of December 22 to 28 had six murders, the lowest weekly count since 2001.

According to Dr Chang, what we are seeing “is a coming together of everything”, including investment in human resources, training, technology, physical infrastructure “as well as a highly motivated workforce and effective leadership”.

Make no mistake, the numbers are impressive. Yet, as a country we dare not rest.

The challenge must be to keep reducing criminal activity to a point at which law-abiding people no longer feel compelled to live in fear and our country can achieve its true socio-economic potential.

How is that to be done? It must involve a full partnership between all Jamaicans and the security forces so that crime becomes unviable, unprofitable, and downright calamitous for its practitioners.

In that respect, we are struck by this newspaper’s report in late December that the man alleged to have murdered acclaimed journalist Ms Barbara Gayle was beaten and chased from the community of Gulf in Portmore, St Catherine.

Residents of Gulf reportedly acted as they did after Mr Travis Ellis, who police say has since confessed to killing Ms Gayle, gave conflicting statements about how he came to be driving her high-end motor car.

It, however, begs the question: Rather than chasing the suspect away, why not call the police?

Inevitably, the long-running challenge of a lack of trust, even regard, for the forces of law and order arises. So that, even as we applaud effective enforcement activities in putting criminals under pressure, we recognise that the battle won’t be truly won until evildoers are left with nowhere to go.

That’s the reason we have consistently called for unity across political party lines, embracing all categories of our population in an unrelenting mobilisation in support of law and order against crime, disorder, and antisocial behaviour.

Part and parcel should be proactive socialisation of our young people and children — in schools, churches, dancehalls, street corners, etc — through a positive values and attitudes programme.

Central to all of that must be conscious building of trust and respect for our security forces. Persistent allegations of police acting as judge, jury, and executioner — heard of in low-income, urban communities especially — undermine the chances of that desired trust and respect being solidly built and reinforced.

Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake has said that the use of body-worn cameras by the police can be of great help in actually protecting the police from false allegations and in building trust.

Alarmingly, the Independent Commission of Investigations said late last year that of 252 police shootings over an assessed period no body-worn camera was activated.

Regardless of the challenges, that’s a shortcoming the Government and security forces must address with the greatest urgency.