Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has announced significant reductions in violent crime in Jamaica, with murders down 35% and overall violent crime decreasing by 64% in 2025.
Holness emphasized that this decline is a result of the strategic efforts by the security forces and the government’s ongoing investment in national security.
“You have no hiding place!” Holness warned criminals, stressing that security forces will relentlessly pursue gangs and those involved in illegal arms trafficking. “All the people who are importing guns into Jamaica, whether you live here or cooperate with people abroad, you have no hiding place. I want that message to go out very carefully,” he added.
Addressing the Manchester Chamber of Commerce awards banquet on March 29 at the Bloomfield Professional Centre in Mandeville, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling criminal networks, which have long operated with relative impunity. He cited recent successes, including the interception of major illegal weapons shipments entering the country in the past month.
Holness also highlighted Jamaica’s ongoing efforts to modernize its security infrastructure, such as investing in new equipment, officer training, and strengthening international partnerships to combat cross-border crime.
“Jamaica is on a solid pathway to tackle the gangs, which for a long time believed they had free space and free rein. None of that in Jamaica,” Holness stated.
The Prime Minister’s comments were supported by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), with data revealing a 19% drop in murders from 2023 to 2024, followed by the current 35% reduction in 2025. Additionally, the number of active gangs in Jamaica has been reduced from 350 to fewer than 100 since 2016.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Carey Duncan, Commanding Officer for the Manchester Division, noted that the police have stepped up operations in the parish, targeting gangs and illegal activities like lottery scamming.
“In 2025, we are seeing a 64% decline in murders and a 38% decline in all major crimes,” DSP Duncan confirmed. He also pointed out that there is now a 78% chance of apprehending those responsible for crimes committed in the area, with 75% of murders in the parish cleared this year alone.
