St. James Records 54 Per Cent Drop in Murders

Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Commanding Officer for St. James, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Eron Samuels, says the parish achieved a significant reduction in crime in 2025, with murders declining by 54 per cent, falling to 58 from 125 the previous year.

Speaking during the St. James Municipal Corporation’s recent monthly meeting, SSP Samuels announced an overall 19 per cent decline in serious crimes, including a 44 per cent reduction in shootings, falling to 62 from 111 in 2024.

Despite challenges with robberies, the senior officer highlighted progress in arrests and court proceedings, noting a record low in robbery incidents during the Christmas period.

SSP Samuels attributed the achievement to strong collaboration across the parish, underscoring the collective commitment to meeting the annual crime-reduction targets that had been set, adding “we are really happy with the results coming out of last year”.

The Superintendent also commended his management team, recognising them as core contributors to maintaining safety across the parish.

For 2026, SSP Samuels anticipates a continued reduction in crime rates as new safety programmes are implemented, while emphasising the crucial role of community involvement in achieving the goal of making St. James the safest parish in the Caribbean.

“We now have a personal internal target of keeping murders below 50, and we intend to maintain that target,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, commended the police for their crime-reduction efforts and reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining low crime rates throughout 2026.

“Every time you came to this meeting and reported on a positive outcome, we celebrated. We are committing, going into 2026, further support from the St. James Municipal Corporation,” he stated, adding that when crime decreases, other sectors of the parish thrive.