KINGSTON, Jamaica  (AFP) — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reiterated the Government’s commitment to the full deployment of integrated camera systems across the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), including body-worn cameras, patrol car cameras, and national surveillance infrastructure, as part of a broader drive to strengthen accountability and operational effectiveness within the force.

The statement, made at the 91st Staff and Junior Command Course graduation exercise at the National Police College of Jamaica on Friday, followed days of public outrage after the killing of Latoya Bulgin and subsequent treatment of her body by lawmen in Granville, St James.

“The policy of the Government is to fully deploy camera systems for the police force. Just to be clear, there have been some discussions that seem to suggest that the government doesn’t intend that everyone who interacts with the public should have a body camera. That’s not the case,” Holness stated.

Regarding body-worn cameras, Holness said again that approximately 1,000 units are currently deployed within the JCF, with an additional 1,000 in procurement and further acquisitions planned as part of a phased national rollout.

He emphasised that the implementation of body-worn cameras is being undertaken in stages to ensure that the necessary supporting systems, which include training, broadband connectivity, secure data storage, and evidentiary management frameworks, are fully in place.

“We simply don’t have the resources to do it all at once. There is an entire suite of activities that have to be in place before body-worn cameras become universally systemised within the JCF,” Holness said.

He further noted that the deployment of camera systems must reflect operational realities and varying field conditions.

“The form factor, meaning the design of the camera, can work well in certain circumstances, such as patrolling a market or conducting traffic stops, where the image is stable, and hand movement does not obstruct visibility. There are situations where the body-worn camera, which is placed on the chest, is effective and appropriate,” he said.

He added that there are other operational contexts in which it may not work as well, including some tactical operations.

“That does not mean such operations would not be covered by camera systems. Rather, the police force would need to deploy the form factor of a camera that best suits the specific operational environment,” he said.

Holness emphasised that the Government’s objective is to ensure that all appropriate police-citizen interactions are captured through suitable technological solutions while safeguarding officer safety and the success of police operations.

“Just to put everybody at ease, there is no intent to say some units will have cameras and some won’t. The intent is to make sure that there is this tool of accountability for our officers. And, as far as possible, that tool will be deployed as long as it does not compromise the safety of the officer or the success of a mission,”

Holness said the expansion of police camera systems forms part of a wider transformation of the security architecture, designed to strengthen public trust, improve accountability, and enhance the evidentiary integrity of policing in Jamaica.

He noted that the broader system includes closed-circuit television coverage integrated into command and control centres, the continued expansion of the JamaicaEye surveillance network, and the development of a modern C5-type command centre to enhance national security coordination.

The prime minister also stressed that while limited capability currently exists, work is underway to equip police patrol vehicles with in-car camera systems, which will form part of the wider technological architecture supporting frontline policing and operational oversight.