The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) says 1,463 murders have been committed on the island last year, 132 or almost 10 percent above the murder total for 2020.
According to the preliminary figures released, the St Andrew South Police Division, which covers more than 20 inner-city communities, accounted for 164 murders in 2021, the most in any single police division for the year.
The St Andrew South Police Division also recorded the most murders across the island with 143. Westmoreland, with 128 murders, recorded the biggest increase last year, up from the 80 murders reported in 2020.
The Kingston Central Police Division recorded a 55 percent increase in murders when compared with 2020, registering 79 murders.
The St James Police Division registered 160 murders, up from 127 in 2020, while St Catherine South had 32 murders and Clarendon 104.
The preliminary figures show that Portland recorded 15 murders, the fewest of any of the 19 police divisions, reflecting however a 50 percent increase over 2020.
The figures show that Trelawny, with 17 murders, a 26 percent decline, St Catherine North 99 killings, down by 22 percent; and St Ann with 55 murders or a 21 percent decline, led the police divisions in which murders were down last year when compared to 2020.
According to the JCF figures, all other major crimes decreased last year, with shootings being almost two percent below 2020, reported cases of rape 25 percent below the previous year, and robberies showing a decline of 24 percent.
In November 2021, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced State of Emergency (SOEs) in seven police divisions islandwide. The areas are in St. Andrew South, Kingston West, Kingston Central, and Kingston East in the Corporate Area, and St. James, Hanover, and Westmoreland.
Speaking during a virtual press conference, Holness indicated that all the divisions had recorded increases in violent crimes, ranging from 16 to 57 percent.
Police Commissioner, Major General Antony Anderson, said the imposition of the states of public emergency was designed to reduce violence in the communities as quickly as possible and reduce fear.
The measures were discontinued later that month when several members of the People’s National Party voted against an extension. Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding defended his decision to vote against the extension. He said the emergency security measures that were previously used over three years, from 2017 to 2020, “did not achieve any lasting improvements in Jamaica’s national security situation”.
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