(Jamaica Observer) Peter Bunting on Thursday said that select police units will start wearing body cameras soon, even as concerns are being expressed over the allegations of extrajudicial killings and professional misconduct by members of the constabulary.
Making the disclosure at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew, the national security minister said the project to deploy body-worn cameras for select Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) units is scheduled to commence roll-out in the second half of this year.
“The purpose of this project is to improve the collection of evidence of criminal activity in an effort to prosecute and reduce such activity, improve the transparency of JCF activities when interacting with the public, to encourage JCF officers to act in accordance with the force’s professional standards to include the appropriate use of force, and to create a record to protect JCF officers from unfair allegations of violations of JCF professional standards,” Bunting told journalists.
“The Government of Jamaica is committed to reducing the level of crime and violence that has taken a terrible toll on this nation. As part of this commitment we will be taking all necessary steps to ensure that the JCF becomes one of the most trusted and respected institutions in Jamaica,” he said.
Minister Bunting made the disclosure following comments he made on probes being conducted by the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) into allegations of police killings in the Clarendon police division.
