FORMER Prime Minister Bruce Golding says Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) needs to give attention to the circumstances in which the 50 police fatal shootings so far this year occurred in order to establish credibility in its criticism of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

Golding made the comment in a statement issued yesterday, a day after Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake frontally told the rights group that he would not apologise for the police carrying out their duty of protecting Jamaicans from marauding thugs.

“And so, let me encourage Jamaicans for Justice to be more responsible in their public pronouncements, especially when the nation is aware of its members’ proven ability to comprehend the most basic and fundamental principles of security.

“To suggest that fatal shooting numbers can be reduced by anything other than the unwillingness of persons being apprehended to engage in deadly confrontations with members of the security forces is irresponsible, or at best advocating for us to relent in our pursuit,” added Blake.

He declared that criminals who are intent on killing and maiming will not be left free to hold communities at ransom and in constant fear.

Commissioner Blake was responding to a news release from JFJ last week in which it pointed out that the year-to-date figure of 50 fatal shootings is more than double the comparable period in 2024, which stood at 19 fatalities.

“This represents an unacceptable and troubling trend that threatens Jamaica’s democratic principles and human rights advancements,” JFJ said.

“If this trend persists, Jamaica risks regressing to the dark days before the establishment of the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) when accountability for security force actions was virtually non-existent,” added JFJ.

However, in his statement on Saturday, Golding noted that JFJ had not cited one instance of what appeared as an extrajudicial killing.

The following is the full text of the former prime minister’s statement:

“For its own credibility, Jamaicans For Justice must do more than sounding the alarm at the number of reported killings by the police. It must pay some attention to the circumstances in which those killings took place for at least a preliminary impression as to whether those were justifiable homicides.

The Independent Commission of Investigations was established precisely to investigate such instances. It is expected to conduct its investigations and declare its findings.

The JFJ has not cited even one instance in which it appears that an extrajudicial killing has been carried out. If such a case exists, I will be the first to join with them in its condemnation.

The JFJ is on stronger grounds in questioning the use of body-worn cameras, and Indecom should pronounce on this in its findings.

Make no mistake about it. There are vicious criminals who will not hesitate to confront the police and kill them if they can. The police cannot be expected to be mindful of statistics and restrain from using deadly force if, in their judgment and as will be subject to independent investigations, the circumstances warrant it.”