Police deploying 1,000 body-worn cameras
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Constabulary Force says it has received and is deploying the 1,000 Axon Body Camera III devices across the force.
In a statement Monday evening, the JCF said there will be particular focus on areas of the force that experience high levels of citizen engagement, while other factors determining where the cameras will be deployed include operational need, training readiness, and established governance protocols.
The force added that the procurement process for a further 1,000 body-worn cameras is now ongoing and expected to be completed in the next financial year.
Noting that the acquisition and active deployment of the body-worn cameras institutionalise accountability for both the police and the public the JCF said: “these devices create an objective and verifiable record of police–citizen interactions, holding all parties to a clear standard of lawful and responsible conduct.
Added the JCF: “They protect the rights of citizens while also safeguarding police officers who operate within the law, reducing false allegations, resolving disputes through evidence, and strengthening professional oversight.”
The police maintained that it is committed to accountability and decried what it described as false narratives.
“Throughout this period, the JCF has had to contend not only with criminal elements, but also with deliberate misinformation and false narratives suggesting resistance to accountability.”
“The Force has always regarded the implementation of body-worn cameras as a central pillar of its transformation and modernisation agenda, reflecting a sustained commitment to professional, transparent, and technology-enabled policing. This initiative represents a significant step in enhancing transparency, reinforcing public confidence in policing, and deepening trust; grounded not in competing narratives, but in verified facts,” it said.
Advocacy Groups, including Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), have repeatedly called on the police to employ the use of body- worn cameras during planned policing operations in the face of rising numbers of police killings.
