Bermuda police chief lauds Jamaica's crime reduction

Commissioner of the Bermuda Police Service, Darrin Simons, who is also President of the Association of Caribbean Commissioner of Police (ACCP), has heaped praises on crime reduction in Jamaica, calling the drop the envy of the region.

Simons, speaking at the launch of the JCF’s Transformation People Quality and Technology Expo 2.0 on Thursday, called for full support of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Simons said it would be remiss not to acknowledge some of the hard truths of the region.

“Gang violence sadly ravages many of our islands. We have a homicide rate that is several times higher than the global average and organised crime groups operate with a level of sophistication that rivals multi-nation corporations. They sometimes threaten the very foundations of our democracies. These aren’t distant problems. They’re knocking on each and every one of our doors every day,” Simons said.

He said the JCF has shown the region a way forward.

“Commissioner [Dr Kevin] Blake and his team haven’t just talked about transformation. They are delivering it. While our region grapples with rising violence, Jamaica has forged a new path. The numbers don’t just speak, they shout about what is possible,” Simons said, pointing to the 44 per cent reduction in murders and 20 per cent reduction in major crimes.

The first quarter of 2025 recorded the lowest crime figures in over 25 years.

“These changes are the envy of every Caribbean nation. Indeed, any police force the world over would celebrate numbers like these. Jamaica just hasn’t improved, you have transformed the definition of what well lead sufficiently funded Caribbean police force can achieve,” Simons said.

He said the aforementioned was not achieved through enforcement alone, but by building trust and focusing on people, quality and technology.

According to Simons, the JCF realise that 21st-century policing requires 21st-century thinking.

“Communities don’t just want warriors, they want partners. They don’t just want occupiers, they want protectors, capable guardians. They don’t want to fear the police they want to trust the police, with a healthy dose of respect,” Simons said.

Community confidence is not just a nice-to-have, but the very foundation of policing, he said.

“When communities trust the police, they share information with the police. When they share information with the police, we, the police, solve more crimes and when we solve more crimes, we build more trust. That’s the circle of community confidence that leads to successful policing,” Simons said.

He said the JCF are making policing a partnership and not a battle.

“Which is in contrast to what we see in some other jurisdictions I might add. The JCF is peeling back layers, showing the community aspects of their police force that they have never seen before. They are engaging with you in new ways. Its what I call full F.A.T” policing,” Simons said, adding that F.A.T stands for fairness, accountability and transparency.

Simons said that a partnership approach is the future of policing in the Caribbean.

“We stand at a crossroads, we can let criminal networks define our future or we can follow Jamaica’s lead and transform our region into the safe prosperous, just society that our ancestors dreamed of,” said Simons.

He told the local political leaders that they are backing a winning horse.

“Don’t ease up on the feed. You have invested excellence, keep investing. The JCF needs your financial support and just as important they need your very public backing. When our leaders back the police, the public back the police and the cycle of community confidence repeats itself,” Simons said.

- Andre Williams

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