Mark Shields | How Jamaica transformed the investigation of serious crime

The recent announcement by the Jamaica Constabulary Force of the creation of a Specialised Investigation Branch (SIB) is more than a routine organisational change. It represents the latest step in a journey of reform spanning more than two decades in how Jamaica investigates serious and organised crime.

As a former deputy commissioner of police with responsibility for crime, I have watched this evolution with both professional interest and genuine pride. The JCF of today is not the organisation I left in 2009. It is a force that has been steadily reshaping itself to confront the changing realities of crime in Jamaica and across the region — and, importantly, to strengthen integrity and public confidence.

Two decades ago, Jamaica faced extraordinary levels of violent crime and public fear. The policing response reflected the urgency of that period and relied heavily on centralised uniformed operational capacity and specialist tactical support.

At the operational level, the Special Anti-Crime Task Force was among the most visible uniformed crime-fighting capabilities on the streets. Within that same era, the Crime Management Unit emerged as an offshoot and became highly controversial.

Alongside these were central operational formations such as Mobile Reserve and Motorised Patrol, which for years provided the capacity to surge manpower, respond rapidly, and stabilise volatile situations. Over time, those functions were reorganised and consolidated into a more structured, supervised and consistent framework, including the establishment of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch – a deliberate move away from older operational models towards a modern branch structure with clearer accountability, training standards, and a more integrated approach to public safety and traffic enforcement. In parallel, specialist tactical capabilities were also significantly reformed and professionalised, with legacy arrangements giving way to more structured, highly trained SWAT-type teams and today’s integrated operational approach.

While those uniformed and tactical units formed the visible front-line response, the principal serious crime investigation function sat elsewhere. The Organised Crime Investigation Division – alongside specialist investigators such as the Flying Squad – formed the backbone of serious crime investigation at the time, reflecting an early shift towards more specialised, intelligence-informed policing.

But the experience of that era also made one thing clear: structure and capability are not enough on their own. Modern policing demands strong governance, effective oversight, and investigative quality that can withstand scrutiny in court and in the public domain.

During my tenure, the Washington Boulevard abduction of Kemar Walters and Oliver Duncan became a defining investigation. That case – and the wider climate of corruption allegations – ultimately contributed to OCID’s demise, and it underscored the urgent need to close operational gaps, strengthen accountability, and modernise the investigative framework for serious and organised crime.

INTELLIGENCE-LED POLICING

The creation of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch marked a major turning point. It signalled a decisive shift towards intelligence-led policing and a recognition that organised crime was becoming more networked, more transnational, and increasingly complex.

Over the past decade, Jamaica has seen progress that would have been difficult to imagine in earlier periods. The strengthening of the legislative framework – particularly anti-gang measures – helped change what was possible in building complex cases.

The successful prosecution of the Clansman gang and the ongoing trial involving Tesha Miller demonstrate that modern investigations increasingly rely on intelligence development, evidence-based methodologies, stronger case management, and the ability to sustain long-running, complex prosecutions.

Although this article focuses on the evolution of serious crime investigation, it is impossible to tell that story honestly without acknowledging the wider transformation of the JCF.

Intelligence policing underwent an especially important shift. For a period, the JCF effectively had two intelligence entities operating side by side – Special Branch and the National Intelligence Bureau. While both contributed, the parallel arrangement created risks: intelligence gaps, duplication, overlap, and, at times, competition. The eventual merger strengthened coordination, reduced duplication, and supported a more modern intelligence-led policing model.

Taken together, these reforms underscore the central point: the JCF has been systematically re-engineering itself – adapting its operational capability, refining its intelligence architecture, and improving oversight – so that investigative units like CTOC, and now the SIB, can be more effective within a stronger overall policing system.

NEW THREATS, NEW RESPONSES

Crime has continued to evolve. Today, Jamaica faces cyber-enabled offences, complex financial fraud, and sophisticated scamming networks that target banks, businesses, and individuals locally and overseas. These threats require specialist investigators, advanced techniques, and structured collaboration with financial institutions and international partners.

Fraud against banks and financial institutions is no longer a niche problem. It is a core national security and economic stability concern. Similarly, lottery scamming continues to mutate in scale and sophistication. The point is straightforward: as crime evolves, policing must evolve, too.

Government investment – especially in technology – has been a major enabler of modern policing. In July 2024, at the contract-signing ceremony for the new St Catherine North Divisional Headquarters, Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated that J$3.9 billion had been expended on technology for the JCF since 2016, with a further J$10.9 billion projected over the next three years – amounting to roughly J$14.4 billion in capital-side technology investment.

The new SIB represents a logical next step: consolidating specialist investigative capabilities under a single command structure focused on complex, high-risk and sensitive investigations. It reflects a recognition that serious and organised crime cannot be tackled effectively in silos and that modern investigations require close coordination among intelligence, specialist investigators, legal quality assurance, and forensic support.

Just as importantly, this model should strengthen the production of prosecution-ready case files. When investigations are built early around quality assurance, evidential standards, and close partnership with forensic capability, cases are more likely to survive scrutiny, move through the courts efficiently, and result in credible outcomes.

It is also appropriate to acknowledge leadership. Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake and the Jamaica Constabulary Force High Command, alongside the rank and file and key partners, have presided over notably improved public-safety outcomes in recent times. That progress matters because it signals that years of reform, investment, and intelligence-led policing are translating into measurable results — and it helps Jamaica project a stronger image of stability and professionalism at home and abroad.

Modern policing demands constant adaptation as criminal networks evolve, technology advances, and public expectations rise. But Jamaica should recognise what this moment represents: we are steadily building a policing model that is more modern, more accountable, and better equipped to confront organised and transnational crime.

The responsibility now is to sustain that progress — through leadership, investmen, and public support. If we do, the SIB will be remembered as another step in Jamaica’s long, determined progress towards becoming a safer and more secure nation.

Mark Shields is former deputy commissioner of police, Jamaica Constabulary Force, and managing director of Shields Crime & Security Ltd. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.