Latest police fatal shootings trigger renewed concerns from INDECOM

With a 121 per cent increase in police fatal shootings when compared with the similar period last year, the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has again raised concerns about killings arising from planned police operations.

The police oversight body has also placed in the spotlight the persistent failure to prioritise the deployment of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in any planned operations by the security forces.

In a release yesterday, INDECOM said it was highlighting its concern again following four separate operations which resulted in the deaths of four men in St Catherine, within a 24-hour period spanning July 17 to 18.

According to INDECOM, 177 persons have so far been shot and killed by the security forces this year. This compares with 80 persons for the corresponding period in 2024, representing a 121 per cent increase in fatal shooting incidents.

For the 12-month period July 18, 2024 to July 18, 2025, INDECOM reported that 288 persons were shot and killed by the security forces. The police oversight body said no BWCs were used by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in any of these incidents.

Despite their availability, through procurement of BWCs and the infrastructure supporting the technology, INDECOM said the JCF has failed to make them routine in planned operations, where they are most essential – incidents involving the potential loss of life.

INDECOM reasoned that although reported infrastructure issues have delayed full implementation across the JCF, BWCs could still be deployed to record planned police operations in search of wanted individuals, yielding vital evidentiary value.

“In the majority of the current incidents, where men have been fatally shot, the police accounts illustrate that the officers are entering premises and are not faced, as asserted, with challenges of a rugged terrain or major tactical impediments which would hinder the use of current and available BWCs,” INDECOM argued.

While acknowledging the dangers that can be faced by police personnel and the importance of apprehending wanted individuals, INDECOM said it was of the view that accountability and transparency are non-negotiable in modern policing and ensuring that “right to life” is recognised.

RECURRING THEME

A recurring theme in the shooting incidents, according to INDECOM, shows that weapons are alleged to have been pointed at lawmen, but, in the absence of third-party eyewitnesses or video evidence, investigators are unable to verify or justify the use of lethal force.

The police oversight body has emphasised that BWCs are essential not only for providing independent verification and evidence-gathering and ensuring public trust, but also for protecting police personnel against false allegations. The commission said that, in light of the case for the wearing of BWCs, its deployment in planned police operations remains improperly prioritised, even with the noticeable increase in such instances.

Meanwhile, INDECOM reported that, on Thursday, two members of the JCF, Corporal Lavon Francis and Kawain Johnson, were placed before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, where they were charged in relation to the police non-fatal shooting incident of a man. The incident occurred on January 1, 2024 at Seaview Gardens, Kingston.

The police allege that a group of individuals fired in the direction of the police team, and the officers discharged their firearms in response. A firearm was reported as recovered from the incident scene, though an eyewitness account states that the injured man was not armed.

Following an investigation by INDECOM, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) ruled that Francis and Johnson should be charged for wounding with intent.

The policemen were each granted bail in the sum of $1 million with one to two sureties and reporting conditions.

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