Police credit operations, forensics for 59% drop in murders in Kingston East

The Kingston Eastern Police Division has recorded a 59 per cent reduction in murders so far this year, amid a general national decline in violent crime, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has reported.

According to a statement issued by the police on Sunday, murders in the division fell from 61 in 2024 to 25 as of December 20, driven by intensified operations and enhanced forensic and investigative capabilities.

The improvement comes against the backdrop of a national 43 per cent decline in murders in 2025 compared with 2024, the lowest level recorded in more than three decades.

The JCF said robberies in Kingston Eastern also declined from 37 to 30, while shootings showed a marginal decrease. Detectives in the division cleared 34 murder cases during the year, representing a 136 per cent murder clearance rate.

Police attributed the reduction in violence in part to the seizure of illegal weapons. Since the start of the year, officers in the division have seized 38 illegal firearms and 698 rounds of ammunition. Targeted operations also resulted in the arrest of 11 high-profile wanted individuals.

Head of the Kingston Eastern Division, Superintendent Michelle Campbell, said the figures represent lives saved.

“The 59% reduction in murders is more than a statistic; it means dozens of lives saved. Our strategy of acting as ‘force multipliers’ through intelligence-led policing yields real results. We are reclaiming our communities and will not relent against those disrupting peace in Kingston East,” Campbell said.

Crime Officer for the division, Deputy Superintendent of Police Keaton Barrett, highlighted the work of investigators.

“To solve 34 murders in a year and achieve a 136% clear-up rate shows our team’s forensic diligence and investigative capabilities. By removing 38 firearms from the streets and capturing 11 of our most wanted, we are dismantling the division’s criminal infrastructure,” Barrett said.

Operations Officer Deputy Superintendent of Police Mario Pratt said the sustained presence of officers in crime-prone areas has also played a key role. “Our operational posture has been relentless. By consistently disrupting criminal hotspots, we’ve managed to strip criminals of their firepower with the removal of guns and ammunition from our streets,” he said. .

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