The National Commission for Violence Prevention is now developing a 10-year evidence-based National Action Plan, with recommendations for legislative changes and institutional building. The Plan will also include governance and best practices around a full national mobilisation to control and reduce violence as a feature of the society. Making his budget presentation in the House of Representatives on March 16,...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) have been tasked with establishing special security operations around key infrastructure projects. Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said the aim is to ensure that major projects which will be undertaken are not hijacked by criminals seeking to illicitly benefit from public resources through extortion or...

A State of Public Emergency (SOE) has been declared for the entire geographical areas in the parishes of Clarendon and St. James. The Government, acting in accordance with the Constitution of Jamaica, petitioned the Governor General His Excellency Sir Patrick Allen on the advice of the Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff, to declare a State of...

The St. James business community is looking to further support crime-fighting by partnering with the Government on the national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme dubbed ‘JamaicaEye’. President of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), Oral Heaven, said the entity recently met with the Commissioner of Police to begin plans to establish CCTV cameras in and around the...

Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Hon. Zavia Mayne, is assuring correctional officers that their hard work, dedication and commitment will be matched by the requisite level of promotion within the service. He said that upward mobility in the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) will not be determined by favouritism but by performance. “No nepotism or cronyism...

The Government is reiterating its commitment to the modernisation of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).   Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said that there has been significant progress in making the force more agile and capable of responding to a wide spectrum of threats.  He said that the transformed and modernised police force is now driven by data,...

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Clifford Chambers, says members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Area One have been performing exceptionally well, despite challenges encountered in executing their duties. Area One, for which ACP Chambers is the Commanding Officer, comprises the parishes of Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, and Westmoreland. The senior officer, who was speaking at a recent St James...

The Government will be spending $770 million in the new fiscal year on the Security Strengthening Project. The funds will be used to complete implementation of a jail management software and installation of a citizens’ service portal software. Additionally, the allocation will be used to procure fibre-optic cables for the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and equipment for a Mobile Command...

Approximately $315 million will be spent by the Government during the upcoming fiscal year to commence constructing the St. Catherine North Police Divisional Headquarters. The provision is set aside in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, which was tabled in the House of Representatives by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. the Hon. Nigel Clarke, on February 14. The...