Bruce Golding defends police as JFJ sounds alarm over surge in fatal shootings

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding has urged Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) to examine the circumstances behind police fatal shootings before condemning the security forces.

Since the start of the year, there have been several fatal police shootings across the island, especially of gang members. In Spanish Town, this has led to curfews being imposed twice since January as authorities attempt to quell violence and maintain order. Because of this, JFJ, a human rights advocacy group, last week raised alarm over what it describes as a troubling surge in police killings. In a media release, JFJ pointed out that the year-to-date figure of 50 fatal shootings is more than double the comparable period in 2024, which stood at 19 fatalities. “This represents an unacceptable and troubling trend that threatens Jamaica’s democratic principles and human rights advancements,” said JFJ. “If this trend persists, Jamaica risks regressing to the dark days before the establishment of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), when accountability for security force actions was virtually non-existent,” the group added. However, Police Commissioner Dr. Kevin Blake pushed back strongly, rejecting calls for an apology. “To suggest that fatal shooting numbers can be reduced by anything other than the unwillingness of persons being apprehended to engage in deadly confrontations with members of the security forces is irresponsible, or at best advocating for us to relent in our pursuit,” he stated. Blake also reaffirmed that criminals “intent on killing and maiming” would not be allowed to hold communities hostage. Blake emphasized that every fatal police shooting leads to officers being removed from frontline duty and subjected to an administrative review. He also noted that Jamaica’s prisons and police lockups are filled with individuals who surrendered rather than engaging in shootouts with the police. “We have had well over a thousand firearm-related arrests each year. Persons have had their day in court, and in some instances freed of the charges against them. They have all lived to see another day simply because they chose not to direct deadly force against our members,” he stated. Blake also criticized JFJ’s stance on body-worn cameras, pointing out that INDECOM already has significant evidence available for its investigations, including statements from officers, ballistic reports, and scene assessments.

Bruce Golding weighs in

Golding, weighing in on the debate, questioned JFJ’s credibility, noting that the group had not cited a single case of suspected extrajudicial killing. “For its own credibility, Jamaicans for Justice must do more than sounding the alarm at the number of reported killings by the police,” he said. He added that INDECOM was established to probe such incidents and should be allowed to do its work. While Golding acknowledged JFJ’s concerns about body-worn cameras and encouraged INDECOM to address the issue, he defended the police, stating that officers cannot be expected to “restrain from using deadly force” when confronted by armed criminals. As the debate over police accountability and crime-fighting tactics continues, the tension between human rights advocacy and law enforcement remains at the forefront of national discourse.