Opposition spokesman on National Security Fitz Jackson has expressed concern over the increasing number of fatal police shootings, despite a reduction in the country’s murder rate last year.

“Last year, 340 more persons were killed by the security forces and the only other year it was higher than that was in 1985… That is unacceptable. We want more of our people to remain alive. We believe in the rule of law,” Jackson said.

Speaking at the Whitfield Town Divisional Conference on Wednesday, he stressed that while progress has been made in reducing murders, greater efforts are needed to strengthen trust and cooperation between citizens and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to improve public safety.

“I don’t want a society where a substantial amount of our Jamaican citizens is the police. But I don’t support criminality.” He said

Jackson reminded that the police’s main aim is to serve and protect.

“The role of police is to apprehend suspects, suspected criminals, and our justice system allows them to prove their innocence and if they are found guilty, the law takes its course through the courts. That’s what a democratic society provides for us. To do otherwise is to deny us of that which we committed to,” he stressed.

Jackson claimed that police killings are often carried out by lawmen outside of local divisions and maintained that Jamaicans deserve a security force that can work and live in harmony with the people in every community through the length and breadth of the country.