Kingston Eastern police are using access to dances and other social events as an incentive for communities to comply with the law, while taking their efforts to prevent domestic violence into churches across the division, according to Commanding Officer Superintendent Michelle Campbell.

Campbell said dance and other social activities are an important part of the culture in Kingston Eastern, and police have been using permits and conditions to encourage residents to keep their events orderly. Where communities comply, she said, police allow the activities to continue; where they do not, restrictions can follow.

“What we find is that persons gravitate towards the dance, and so people have their own round-robin where they make their money and all of that, so what we do is we use that; if you behave, you’re able to have your social activities, you are able to get your permit for your dance, and if you misbehave, then you will not be able to socialise, but you have to lock down by six o’clock because you’re now under curfew, and so it is working,” she said.

Campbell, who has commanded Kingston Eastern since January 2025, was speaking on the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Force4Good podcast. She said the approach has been particularly useful in communities where police have had to balance crime prevention with residents’ desire to host income-generating social events.

One example she highlighted was Bayshore in Harbour View, where police previously stopped events because of problems in the community.

“We had some issues up there, and we locked it down, no event, and so what we found now is that persons are conforming, and they’re coming, and we are giving them permits with conditions, and so the social activities, the parties, and the dance is the culture of the Kingston Eastern Division,” she explained.

The strategy comes against the background of Kingston Eastern’s long struggle with violent crime. In January 2020, the Government declared a State of Emergency in the division amid what Prime Minister Andrew Holness described as high levels of crime and gang warfare, with Mountain View Avenue, Rockfort, and Bull Bay among the identified hotspots.

The division has since recorded substantial swings in its murder figures. Police reported a 59 per cent reduction in murders in 2025, with killings falling from 61 in 2024 to 25 by December 20, 2025, while 38 illegal firearms and 698 rounds of ammunition were seized.

However, Campbell said the division is again facing pressure, reporting 19 murders at the time of the podcast, compared with about 13 or 14 at the corresponding point last year.

She said police have responded with daily operational activities under Operation Target Get Back.

The police response, Campbell explained, is not limited to enforcement. With interpersonal conflicts and domestic violence also contributing to the division’s crime problem, cops have been working with the Community Safety and Security Division’s domestic violence intervention team and using churches as another point of contact with residents.

“What we started is the faith-based partnership, and so we are in the church. Every station plans their church service, and so every week we have gone to a church service. There we give them tips on how to deal with domestic issues, [and] how to deal with their conflicts,” she noted.

Campbell said the effort extends beyond church services to community meetings, with the police seeking to give residents alternatives to violence when disputes arise.

Campbell said the message to residents is ultimately straightforward: compliance gives communities greater room to maintain their social activities, while violations can result in restrictions.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force requires permits for entertainment events, with applications to be made at least 10 clear days before an event. The superintendent in charge of the relevant police division can grant or refuse permission and attach conditions to an approved event.

For Campbell, the strategy is about using the activities that matter most to communities as part of the wider effort to keep violence under control.

“My message to them to keep in line is just conform to the rules, the laws, the regulations, and you’ll be able to keep your events and make your money, because when they’re not able to keep the event, it dampens their pocket, and so once you obey the laws of the land, you are able to generate an income through your parties,” she said.