In comparison to the same period in 2024, there were 36% fewer murders between January 1 and April 5 of this year, and all major crimes decreased by 18%. As a result, Commissioner of Police Dr. Kevin Blake praised the men and women under his command.
However, Monday’s two incidents in which the police shot six suspected criminals dead in less than 12 hours have sparked a renewed discussion over how the police are combating crime on social media and among verandah chairs.
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During his weekly Force Orders talk, Blake stated that the first quarter of 2025 witnessed the most substantial decline in serious crimes since 2001 and the fewest murders in over 20 years.
The accomplishment is a result of consistent efforts at all organizational levels, the commissioner said, adding that it is the sixth straight quarter that fewer murders have occurred.
But since the beginning of the year, the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom) has noted a dramatic rise in police-perpetrated fatal shootings. According to an unofficial Jamaica Observer count, the number is currently very nearly 90.
Blake has frequently stood out among police officers, saying that criminals who want to confront officers should never prevail.
