KINGSTON, Jamaica — Deputy Spokesperson on Citizen Security for the People’s National Party (PNP), Steve McGregor, has commended the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) for their swift response in locating Giovanni Ellis, the suspect in the murder of nine-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon.

Ellis was fatally shot during a police operation in Clarendon on Monday morning.

“This senseless act has left the nation grieving. I want to commend the police for their swift and decisive action. But we must go beyond reaction, we must invest in prevention,” McGregor stressed.

Ferrigon’s death, believed to be the result of sexual assault and violence, has shocked the country and reignited urgent discussions around youth protection, community engagement, and crime prevention.

McGregor emphasised that tragedies like this must serve as a wake-up call for more serious investment in proactive strategies.

According to a release from the PNP, data from within the JCF indicates that over 80 per cent of crime perpetrators are young people and alarmingly, they also make up a similar percentage of those being killed.

“Too many of our young people are vulnerable, underserved, and disengaged. The Community Safety and Security Branch, which has an arm in every division across the island, needs not just praise, but proper funding so it doesn’t have to rely on sponsorship and fragmented efforts,” said McGregor.

McGregor, a former senior superintendent of police who served for over 40 years, previously led the Community Safety and Security Branch during his tenure with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), where he reportedly  conceptualised and implemented the Safe Community Strategy, a pioneering initiative designed to bridge the gap between citizens and the police, foster stronger partnerships, and build public confidence in law enforcement.

The Safe Community Strategy includes community supported police supervised curfew initiative for youth, said to be currently working successfully in Denham Town; youth club programmes; mentorship programmes; safe schools programmes; consultative committee programmes; neighbourhood watch programmes and volunteer citizens observer programmes.

McGregor stressed that with the right structure, incentives, and technology, the branch could deliver expanded youth engagement, early intervention, and community outreach programmes across the island. “We must stop patching the problem and start building real infrastructure for citizen security,” he emphasised, as he affirmed the PNP’s commitment to this vision.

“When the PNP forms the next government, resourcing the Community Safety and Security Branch will be a top priority. It will be included in the budget. This is how we prevent violence, not just respond to it. It’s how we change the story for the next child at risk,” he argued.

As the country mourns the devastating loss of young Kelsey, McGregor urged Jamaicans to channel their outrage into action—demanding better for our children, our communities, and our future.