Dear Editor,

I have long held the belief that words carry immense power and that it is only through identifying the issues currently facing us as a nation that we can begin to find meaningful solutions.

In recent years, Jamaican citizens have increasingly turned to social media to document and share the challenges they face daily. Whether for awareness, accountability, or solidarity, these videos have been eye-opening. I have learnt much from them, especially those showing interactions between civilians and members of the police force.

A particularly troubling trend has emerged: videos of police officers acting in ways that resemble criminal behaviour, violating the rights of fellow Jamaicans. One video that deeply disturbed me appears to have been recorded in Half-Way-Tree. In it, a policeman dressed in khaki pants, a blue long-sleeved shirt, and a vest was seen physically assaulting a fruit vendor while several bystanders filmed the incident. What stood out most was the officer’s tone and demeanour; it mirrored that of street criminals: intimidating, aggressive, and domineering.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Many similar videos are circulating, yet I doubt whether the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) or its leadership is taking them seriously enough to investigate and hold officers accountable.

I remember when the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) was first established. It had teeth. There was a sense of oversight and accountability. But over the years, that strength seems to have faded, and it now resembles the internal affairs arm of the JCF investigating itself, and far too often finding nothing wrong.

Police officers are public servants. They work for the Jamaican people. So why do so many citizens feel that officers are working against them? Why does engaging with law enforcement often feel more like a threat than a reassurance?

As the old saying goes, “Violence begets violence.” When State agents engage in or excuse aggressive and unlawful behaviour, they normalise it. The message sent to the public, especially our youth, is that brute force and intimidation are acceptable ways to resolve conflict. Left unaddressed, this creates dangerous consequences: eroded public trust, increased hostility towards law enforcement, and a culture of retaliation that weakens the nation’s social fabric.

As a Jamaican, I am acutely aware of the mentality that often develops among young men from poor communities, many of whom grow up fantasising about power and weapons. When some of these individuals become police officers, the combination of a uniform, a gun, and unchecked authority can be intoxicating.

Without proper psychological screening, training, and oversight, these young officers may begin to act with impunity. Worse yet, when such behaviour is encouraged or protected by fellow officers who themselves break the law, it creates monsters in uniform.

We must call a spade a spade and remove these bad actors who are making the JCF look and feel like a network of organised gangs operating in each parish under the official umbrella of the State.

It is, therefore, critical that the leadership of the JCF prioritises the identification and removal of corrupt officers. Those who abuse their authority not only harm civilians but also endanger their honest colleagues and undermine the legitimacy of the entire force. Just as a garden must be weeded for good plants to thrive, so too must law enforcement be cleansed of those who do more harm than good. Protecting the badge must never come at the expense of justice or the people it is meant to serve.

If this trend continues unchecked, public confidence in law enforcement will collapse, and the divide between citizens and police will grow deeper and more dangerous. We must demand transparency, accountability, and reform, not tomorrow, but today.

The time has come for Jamaicans to raise our voices, to challenge the status quo, and to insist that those who protect us do so with honour, not intimidation.

St Aubyn Richards

clever2g@yahoo.com