Following alarming data from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) regarding fatal police shootings involving mentally ill persons since the start of 2022, human rights lobby Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) is criticising the ‘wrong direction’ that has been taken in the treatment of the most vulnerable.

In a release on Thursday (February 17), the organisation stated it was “perturbed” by INDECOM’s data which indicated there had been four police shootings involving mentally ill persons, three of which have been fatal.

“The data suggest an early indication of a trend in the wrong direction, and a society that is found wanting in the way it treats its most vulnerable,” JFJ declared.

According to the JFJ, “not only is it alarmed at the increasing number of police-involved shootings, but even more outraged given the failure to protect a vulnerable group”.

INDECOM’s data indicates that, since the start of the year, there have been a total of 19 fatal shootings, 11 of which occurred in February alone.

Given this, the JFJ said: “This suggests that the state is on track to match or surpass previous high rates of police killing. In 2021, there was a total of 127 fatal shootings involving members of the security forces; and 2020 recorded 115 police-involved shootings, representing a 33 per cent increase when compared to 2019.”

The organisation added: “The revealed data once again brings into question the use of deadly force by the security forces, especially among the most marginalised and those in poor communities.”

In light of INDECOM’s findings, JFJ has charged the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) “to address the longstanding issue of how members of the force interact with those with mental illnesses” and provide “special training to deal with the mentally ill and the use of non-lethal weapons, as appropriate”.

In the meantime, JFJ also warned, that despite the complexities of crime and the difficulties they bring, society as a whole would only be scratching the surface if greater emphasis continues to be placed on violent measures to solve problems rather than handling the deeper underlying issues.

The group continued, calling for ongoing training of the JCF in the Use of Force and Firearms Policy and encouraged the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) to ensure the widespread implementation of the use of body-worn cameras to ensure transparency and accountability in police operations.