INDECOM welcomes use of body cameras in policing

INDECOM has welcomed the decision of the government to proceed with the project in which police personnel will be required to wear body cameras during operations.

    

The Police High Command disclosed on Monday that the Body-Worn Camera Project, a collaborative initiative of the US Embassy and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will be launched on Thursday.

    

INDECOM Commissioner Terrence Williams, says his agency strongly supports the project because "body-worn cameras are devices which can assist in getting to the truth."

 

"In situations, it can provide an account which may support or refute the version of the police or the version of the general public. So in that regard, the device being deployed should assist in the whole framework of accountability for our police," said Mr. Williams. 

     

He added that there should be sanctions for cops who refuse to wear the device or who fail to turn on their cameras while it is being worn. 

 

"We're also having discussions regarding the safe keeping of information downloaded from the cameras and their disclosure to INDECOM and the courts when required," he said.  

 

The national security minister, the police commissioner and the US ambassador to Jamaica will be among the attendees at the launch.

                                        

Fatal shootings too high 

 

And despite a reduction in fatal shootings by the police over the last three years, Mr. Williams says the figure is still too high. 

 

"Just looking at the numbers of fatal shootings doesn't give you the full story. There is an issue regarding violence and conflict in the country which we need to address. 

 

"There's also an issue as to whether these incidents that have led to fatalities were conducted in a way that enhanced the accountability of the officers involved or were they done in a way that did not...but certainly, I don't think anyone could be satisfied with a country Jamaica's size having a fatal shooting rate which is still unusually high per capita," asserted Mr. Williams.  

 

There were 129 fatal shootings in 2014 and 99 last year. However, there has been a 20 per cent increase so far this year, as the police battle increasing gang violence.