Jamaica’s crime reduction efforts have regained momentum after a brief uptick in murders during the early part of February, with figures now trending back within monthly targets.
In his latest Commissioner’s Corner column to members of the Force, Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake said the overall trajectory remains positive, despite what he described as a “troubling higher number of murders” in the first two weeks of the month.
“As we continue to fight the good fight to keep our communities and our nation safe, our effort is being manifested in the continued reduction in major crimes, including murders,” Dr Blake wrote.
He noted that 2025 had been “a good year for murder reduction” and said the Force is determined “to make 2026 even better”. While acknowledging that a “26% reduction over a good year, is a better year”, he cautioned that the country is “still not out of the woods as yet”.
The Commissioner pointed to a short-lived spike earlier in February, when murder numbers ran higher than the pattern established over the previous 14 months. “The first 2 weeks of February saw a troubling higher number of murders than what has been the trend over the last 14 months,” he said.
However, he indicated that strategic adjustments and targeted operations had helped to reverse the trend. “With careful analysis, focused targeting of the perpetrators and your demonstrated determination and capability, we managed to rein in the numbers and are now still within our monthly average target of sub 50,” Dr Blake stated.
The Commissioner described the recovery as evidence of institutional resilience. “That’s what resilience means,” he wrote. “We may stumble, we may fall, but we will always rise back up stronger than before.”
The JCF has maintained a sustained focus on targeted enforcement and data-driven operations as part of its broader strategy to reduce major crimes and maintain public safety.
