Dear Editor,

There has been much talk/debate in recent times about the role of the police and how they operate within the Jamaican landscape. I must state categorically that I am not condoning unprofessional conduct but ask that each incident be looked at objectively.

As a foundation, the concept of sovereignty has its roots in international law that grants States the authority to create laws, enforce regulations, and maintain order within their borders. The responsibility of enforcement falls primarily on the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). However, this sovereign function has increasingly been challenged by a minute sector of the society whose narrative is self-serving and does not reflect the harsh realities of policing in Jamaica, particularly in high-crime communities.

While framed as advocacy, such interventions often undermine State authority, oversimplify complex security realities, and weaken the legitimacy of law enforcement in a society facing extraordinary levels of violent crime.

The maintenance of public order is not optional, it is a fundamental obligation of the State. The JCF operates in an environment characterised by organised gangs, illegal firearms, drug trafficking, and some of the highest homicide rates in the region. In this context, decisive and sometimes forceful policing is not evidence of repression but a necessary response to persistent threats against innocent law-abiding Jamaicans.

Therefore, when self-serving actors challenge police actions without fully acknowledging these realities, they effectively question Jamaica’s sovereign right to determine how best to protect its population.

One of the most significant ways sovereignty is challenged in this modern era is not through military force, but through control of narratives, especially from social media, lobby groups, and informal journalism, whereby everyone is now a reporter with the main objective of obtaining likes for content that they publish which, in turn, provides significant financial rewards without the need to be objective. Might I add that that persistent negative reporting translates to unfair, unjust, biased, and one-sided reporting on Jamaica’s security apparatus, and particularly the JCF, which:

• damages public confidence in law enforcement,

• encourages non-compliance with police authority, and

• pressures the State to adopt restrictive policing policies that may reduce effectiveness.

This form of narrative control constrains Jamaica’s ability to govern according to its own security needs.

No serious defence of the police denies the importance of accountability. However, accountability must be balanced with operational reality. Police officers routinely make split-second decisions in life-threatening situations. Judging these decisions retrospectively without acknowledging the dangers involved creates unrealistic expectations and unfair standards. Moreover, Jamaica already possesses domestic oversight mechanisms, such as the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom), capable of addressing misconduct.

True sovereignty does not mean rejecting human rights, but it does require respect for national context, institutions, and priorities. Jamaica must be allowed the policy space to refine its policing strategies internally rather than under constant external pressure that prioritises optics over safety. Defending the police is not an endorsement of abuse, it is a recognition that security is a prerequisite for the enjoyment of rights. Without effective law enforcement, rights exist only in theory.

Be that as it may, Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake has instituted what is called the Focus Deterrent Strategy (FDS), which, simply put, focuses on the root cause of the problem, finding solutions, and engaging in collective dialogue at all levels within communities.

The criticism of the Jamaican police by self-serving actors represents a modern challenge to sovereignty. While constructive criticisms of the police are necessary and important for good governance, they must not override Jamaica’s sovereign responsibility to combat crime and protect its citizens.

In a high-risk security environment, the Jamaican police are not symbols of oppression but instruments of State survival. Defending them is not a rejection of human rights, it is an assertion that sovereignty, security, and rights must be balanced by Jamaicans, within Jamaica, and on Jamaica’s terms.

Victor Barrett

Superintendent of police

Attorney-at-law