The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has reported a 2.7 per cent increase in major crimes at the end of August over the last year.

According to Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson, murders have gone up by 6.1 per cent when compared to last year. The majority of murders (71 per cent) were gang related and 15 per cent attributed to interpersonal conflicts.

While speaking at a digital press conference today (September 6), the police commissioner further noted that “within the last 10 days of August there were eight murders and one shooting that were attributed to interpersonal disputes”.

He added that, among the 15 per cent of interpersonal conflicts reported, at least two of the cases saw an eight-year-old and a 10-year-old witnessing the murder of a parent.

Anderson further stressed that any discussion about crime that does not involve holding criminals accountable is not targeted at the source of crime.

“Too often in the discussion about crime, especially when those discussions become philosophical, the criminal and the impact on victims are absent. We at the JCF do not have the luxury of leaving the criminals or the victims out of the discussions since we see first hand the pain and harm that these criminals inflict on their victims,” the commissioner said.

“Murders resulting from interpersonal conflicts are often cleared quickly, primarily because the suspects are known. But lives are already lost, families torn a part and survivors or witnesses traumatised,” shared Anderson.

Robberies are also up 15 per cent and break ins up by 7.8 per cent.

In response to the increase in robberies and break-ins, the commissioner said the JCF is in the process of training a quick response team and acquiring additional mobility assets.

He noted that “these initiatives are just about coming on stream and as the process continues, we are also employing technology and intelligence to target known perpetrators”.

The overall analysis of data collected on crime shows that robberies are down 22 per cent and break-ins down 24 per cent from pre-COVID levels.

“In formulating our strategy, it is important that we look at the pre-COVID circumstances and not just the last two years where movement restrictions were enforced. Our initiatives now are designed to ensure we do not get back to the 2020 levels, but continue the downward trend,” said Anderson.

Despite an overall increase in major crimes, there has been a decrease in particular crimes.

The commissioner noted that there is a six per cent decrease in shootings and a 16 per cent decrease in rape.

There was also the seizure of 518 firearms by the JCF in collaboration with other law enforcement partners, 54 more firearms than those seized in 2021.

Since January, 657 persons were also charged with illegal possession of firearms.