Byron Blake | Has Jamaica tamed its crime monster?

Police Commissioner, Dr Kevin Blake, in his end-of-year news conference announced an 18 percent reduction in murders in 2024 over 2023 as well as a 27 percent reduction in rape, 21 percent in robberies, and 10 percent in shootings. The Commissioner posited that “bold policing objectives were established” … “such a reduction [in murders] does not occur by chance. It is a result of deliberate, strategic planning and execution …”.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness hailed the “18 per cent reduction in murders”. He attributed it to “sustained investment in equipment, personnel, intelligence and leadership within the security forces”.

SSP Dennis Brooks, senior communication strategist in the Jamaica Constabulary Force, in response to a Question on a Radio Programme on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, attributed the success to “enhanced capacity”

Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Peter Bunting, in a long article, “Restoring order, building peace: Reflections on 2024 and a vision for 2025” in The Sunday Gleaner, on January 5, argued that “Jamaica has seen a significant decline in murders … in 2024 … for the first time in nine years…”. He posited, “This reduction is a testament to the effectiveness of targeted policing strategies over the ineffective states of emergency (SOEs)”

All four commentators lauded the reduction in major crimes in 2024 compared with 2023. However, each had a different explanation for success. That raises the question “Was this the result of a plan and strategy that Jamaicans can expect to continue to reap positive results or was it “happenstance”? The answer to that question is critical given that there has been a new police commissioner for the last nine months.

In the article “To kill a dead man – tackling the crime monster in Jamaica” in The Sunday Gleaner, November 19, 2023, we not only outlined the complexity of the crime problem but posited an 11-point approach to addressing it. One recommendation was the appointment of a new police commissioner, recruited, inter alia, based on “a detailed two- and five-year vision, plan, and strategy for the development of the Police Service and for dealing with the crime monster”. A new commissioner was appointed but, as far as we know he was not required to produce a vision, plan, and strategy.

ASSESS 2024 PERFORMANCE

One reason for asking for a shared vision, plan, and strategy is that all would have been able to assess the 2024 performance. We would have known whether the 18 per cent drop in murders was below, in line with, or above the target. We would all know what underpins the success. Citizens could assess where the police are on target.

A second reason for a plan is that the broad strategy could be assessed for sustainability. In its absence, the public is condemned to wait and see. In the instant case, and here we make no judgment, the police eliminated over 180 “criminals” en route to achieving the 259 reductions in murders. We wonder whether that is sustainable.

It is agreed that the crime problem in Jamaica is deep-seated and complex. The new commissioner in his acceptance address acknowledged that. The significant component attributable to “gangs” is the most visible and targetable. The other components, for example, family disputes are more difficult to anticipate and disrupt. Disruptions will depend to a significant degree on community action and community-police relations and interactions. If so, one would expect a major element of the police’s plan and strategy to focus on outreach and building relationships with communities. There have seen some initiatives in a few police divisions, but it is unclear whether those are initiatives of individual area commanders or elements of strategy. We have seen initiatives from the justice ministry, but we have not seen or heard of any significant initiatives by the Ministry of Security or the Police High Command to build relations with communities or seek community buy-in into policing activities.

CONTACT WITH THE NEW COMMISSIONER

Commissioner Blake assumed the position on March 19, 2024. On April 11, I penned a letter congratulating and commiserating with the commissioner. I indicated my belief that he could “take the crime monster at the flood and begin a process of wrestling it to tolerable levels”. I opined that “There are many Jamaicans across a range of skill areas and with varying types of experience who would be willing to contribute to the process but … (did) not believe that their contribution would be considered.” I suggested that given the deep-seated, multidimensional nature of the challenge, a collaborative approach and a broad-based, short-, medium-, and long-term strategy and plan would be needed.

I attached the article “To kill a dead man: tackling the crime monster in Jamaica”.

I took the letter to the Commissioner’s Office around April 15. Coincidentally, the commissioner entered the building and went upstairs as I was making my way to the door. It took some time to convince the officer at the reception desk that I was the Ambassador delivering my letter and not the messenger from the United States Embassy. The commissioner passed back out while I was at the desk.

Three months later I had not received an acknowledgement of the letter. On July 19, 2024, I wrote a second letter and attached the first letter. I delivered it again myself. As I am writing this article on January 8, almost six months later, I have not received an acknowledgement of the second letter.

As a social scientist and observer of many senior Jamaican officials for almost six decades, I was minded to do what is uncharacteristic of me – Ambassador Byron W. Blake, CD – my full name and title. That has not elicited an acknowledgement. What will?

Ambassador Byron Blake is former deputy permanent representative of Jamaica to the United Nations and former assistant secretary general of CARICOM. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com