JCA, WCLA call for gov’t to provide timeline for body-worn cameras
KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches (JUGC) and Watchman Church Leaders Alliance (WCLA) are calling on the Government to provide a clear national position and timeline on the use of body-worn cameras.
The groups in a joint statement on Friday, also called for the government to convene a national dialogue involving civil society groups, the Independent Commission of Investigation (INDECOM), the church, the Ministry of National Security, and JCF leadership to address what they say are fatal police shootings.
“The ongoing debate and policy uncertainty surrounding the use of body worn cameras demand urgent clarity to strengthen public trust and ensure a consistent national security approach. Against this backdrop, the Jamaica Umbrella Groups of Churches (JUGC) and Watchman Church Leaders Alliance (WCLA) note the apparent divergence in public statements between Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang on the use of body worn cameras. The prime minister, on several occasions, has affirmed the Government’s commitment to their deployment. However, in a November 2024 post-Cabinet briefing, the minister indicated that such devices are of very little value in police shootings, noting that officers under fire would take cover,” the group said.
“In an April 2026 post-Cabinet briefing, he further questioned their practicality in confrontations with heavily armed criminals, citing concerns about officer safety, and has also suggested that persistent calls for their use may reinforce perceptions of mistrust toward the police. The minister’s most recent statement, reported today, suggests that the police uniform itself would be an obstacle to the use of cameras. He also suggested that other things were needed apart from cameras. We agree that all are necessary, and therefore ask for cameras to support accountability and protection,” it added.
The groups said while they recognise the immense pressure on the police, transparency is not an obstacle to effective policing. It said the high rate of fatalities demands more oversight, not less.
“Where operations lack clarity, suspicion replaces trust, and the divide widens,” the groups added.
