THE Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Administration has embarked on “one of the largest crime management strategies this hemisphere has ever seen”, Government Senator Christian Tavares-Finson insisted on Friday.

This, according to Tavares-Finson, is responsible for the more than 40 per cent reduction in murders this year, when compared to 2024.

He made the remarks in the Senate on Friday while contributing to a debate on the motion for adjournment moved by his colleague Senator Abka Fitz-Henley who highlighted that, for the first time in 30 years, murders in Jamaica will be fewer than 700.

According to Tavares-Finson, while the Government was being hammered by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) on a weekly basis to present a crime plan to the country, “little did they know” that a strategy was being worked on.

Tavares-Finson noted that the plan began to take shape in 2016 when the JLP returned to power and began to make “unprecedented and sustained investments in national security, with a significant portion directed toward strengthening the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF)”.

“Between 2016 and 2025 the Government invested more than $87 billion in national security — nearly three times the amount spent in the eight years prior to 2016,” he noted. The first-term senator pointed to three broad areas in which the Government invested heavily — personnel; equipment and technology; and infrastructure.

Tavares-Finson argued that a police force is only as effective as the number and quality of its officers, pointing out that over the past nine years there has been a deliberate effort to expand and strengthen the human capacity of the JCF. He cited that the force has grown from under 11,000 cops to more than 14,000, with around 6,000 recruits trained even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This increase in human capital has improved police visibility, community engagement, and rapid response capabilities across neighbourhoods and parishes. More officers on the ground mean more patrols, more investigations, and a stronger presence where it matters most,” said the senator.

Tavares-Finson said that beyond numbers, what the police carry and use matters. In this regard, he highlighted that in recent years the Government has prioritised providing the JCF with modern technology and equipment to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. He pointed out that in 2025 alone, more than $650 million worth of high-tech equipment — including portable data radios, hand-held devices, and mobile printers — was delivered to policemen and women across the country.

He also pointed to the expansion of the JamaicaEye CCTV network, the motor vehicle fleet, and the modernisation of police stations with electronic station records and case management which have replaced paper logs while allowing the police to track, share, and act on information faster.

“This push toward modern equipment and integrated technology is important because it gives officers the tools needed to respond to complex crimes, share intelligence instantly, and manage information in ways that were not possible before,” Tavares-Finson said.

He also highlighted the significant investment in infrastructure which has seen several police stations built and others refurbished.

“Improved infrastructure boosts morale, operational readiness, and community engagement with a professional environment that signals both authority and service to the public,” he said.

He asked whether the investment has worked and provided the answers.

“The data suggest a clear correlation between these strategic investments and significant reductions in crime, especially in violent crimes such as murder. For example, as of mid-2025 Jamaica recorded a 43.3 per cent reduction in murders compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest levels observed in decades.

“Government reports have highlighted double-digit declines in major crimes —including shootings and robberies — while victimisation rates remain among the lowest in the region,” said Tavares-Finson.

“Through sustained investment, reductions in gang activity and organised crime have also been noted, particularly where intelligence-led operations have been enabled by better technology and training,” he added.

For his part, Fitz-Henley, who opened the debate, noted that with just under two weeks left in the year, approximately 650 Jamaicans have been murdered, representing a development not experienced in Jamaica so late in a calendar year in more than 30 years.

“The data published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force indicate that for the first time since 1994… it is likely that Jamaica is set to record under 700 murders in a calendar year,” he said.

“The data also indicate that for the first time in 28 years since murders crossed the dreaded 1,000 mark under the Administration of Percival Patterson, Jamaica is now set to record below 1,000 murders,” added Fitz-Henley, who is also minister of state in the Office of the Prime Minister.

He told the Senate that the 43 per cent decline in murders is, “not an occasion for a victory lap or a moment to gloat”, recognising that more than 600 murders in a calendar year in a country with Jamaica’s relatively small population is way too many.

“It is only right that us lawmakers extend our congratulations to Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake and the men and women who he leads, also members of the Jamaica Defence Force, who have put their lives on the line daily in 2025 to ensure that — up until Wednesday of this week — 435 fewer people in Jamaica have been murdered when compared to last year,” Fitz-Henley said.

He characterised the positive gains in the fight against crime this year as a major step in the right direction, and singled out National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang for his work which contributed to the plunge in murders.