Give body cameras to cops, says clergyman

WESTERN BUREAU: Bishop Dr Roy Notice, the chairman of the Jamaica Umbrella Group of Churches, has joined the ongoing public discussion about police body-worn cameras, urging National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang to equip the Jamaican police with the devices in order to ensure effective crime-fighting.

During the keynote sermon at Sunday's National Workers’ Week and Labour Day Thanksgiving Church Service at the St John's Methodist Church, in Montego Bay, Notice said that providing the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) with the cameras will, in turn, improve the public's trust in the security forces.

"The God of righteousness and justice speaks to our dedicated, hard-working police officers who are present in their numbers here today. They serve this nation under the most difficult conditions, and they must be supported in their pursuit of justice, accountability, and truth," said Notice.

“Let us therefore do all we can to make their work easier. If it means providing them with appropriate body-worn cameras as tools to help preserve truth, protect the innocent, and strengthen public trust, let us give it to them," he said.

Last month, civil society groups, including the Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition, Jamaicans for Justice, National Integrity Action, and Wake Up Jamaica, all took issue with a recent statement by Chang, in which he said police personnel would not be wearing body cameras during operations involving armed criminals.

At that time, the groups pointed to the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) data that said 311 civilians were shot and killed by members of the security forces in 2025, a 65 per cent increase over the previous year, with nearly half of those fatalities occurring during planned police operations. They also expressed concern that up to that point, 105 persons had been shot and killed by the security forces since the start of 2026.

During Sunday's service, Notice pointed out that while major crimes such as murder have gone down, Jamaicans still have a role to play in eliminating the factors that lead to degeneracy of morals, which in turn enables crime to flourish.

"Minister Chang, we celebrate with you and the rest of the country concerning the massive and significant reduction in murders and major crimes over the past few years. But, even after what we have survived, and after all that God has blessed us with, we lament that our public sound has not always reflected gratitude, humility, and praise to God," said Notice.

"Citizens must tell the truth, we must respect the law, we must not give in to bribery, we must care for our communities, we must dispose of garbage responsibly, we must honour our neighbours, and we must refuse to normalise wrong just because everybody is doing it,” he said. “This not only calls regular Jamaicans to anchor ourselves in the God of justice and righteousness, but it also calls the leaders of the nation likewise."

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm