Horace Chang | Turning the tide on crime – moment of national reckoning

As we reflect on 2025 and look ahead to a new year, we do so at a moment of profound national significance. For the first time in more than three decades, Jamaica has recorded fewer than 700 murders in a single year.

The provisional figure of 673 murders for 2025, the lowest since 1993, when 654 were recorded, marks a historic breakthrough in our fight against crime. This milestone represents tangible progress and signals a decisive turning point in our long and difficult struggle against violent crime.

For context, the 673 murders recorded in 2025 represent not only a 41 per cent year-over-year reduction but translate into more than 470 lives saved, when compared with the previous year. This means that hundreds of families were spared the anguish, fear, and trauma that violent crime inflicts. Even more striking, however, is the longer-term progress. When measured against the peak of 1,683 murders recorded in 2009, the 2025 figure reflects a 60 per cent reduction. These numbers not only demand reflection; they compel real hope of a turning of the tide on crime.

DELIBERATE STRATEGY

This progress is the outcome of deliberate, sustained, and carefully executed strategies designed to strengthen the entire national security ecosystem. Through Plan Secure Jamaica, the Government has made substantial investments in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) – expanding the numbers, upgrading communications systems, improving mobility, and integrating cutting-edge technology into daily operations.

Complementing these efforts are flagship initiatives such as the ministry’s Project ROC, which focuses on modernising police facilities, alongside the deployment of advanced surveillance and intelligence systems. Together, these measures have significantly enhanced the operational effectiveness of the JCF, enabling faster and more decisive responses to the threats we face.

Equally critical to this success has been strong inter-agency collaboration and coordination. As we mark this significant moment, I extend sincere appreciation to the men and women of the JCF, the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), and the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), as well as our correctional officers, border security teams, and all partners across the national security architecture. Their collective commitment and coordinated efforts have been central to achieving this important milestone.

INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE

With the JCF carrying the primary responsibility for law enforcement, we have been deliberate in placing strong emphasis on the human dimension of policing. Accordingly, we have restructured compensation for police officers and empowered the leadership of the JCF to strengthen staff-welfare arrangements, establish clearer pathways for professional development and career advancement, and implement critical organisational reforms aimed at building a more modern, accountable, and professional Force.

Since March 2024, more than 2,100 police officers, including over 240 Gazetted ranks, have been promoted through transparent, merit-based systems to fill key leadership and supervisory roles. For the first time in the history of the JCF, the officer corps is moving towards the internationally recommended benchmark of three to four per cent of total strength – an essential ratio for effective command and operational efficiency.

Alongside these structural reforms, the Government took decisive actions that helped to restore confidence among the wider membership of the JCF. These actions signalled a clear departure from the “same old, same old” approach and demonstrated a genuine commitment to change in the best interest of the Force. Chief among them were the confirmation of Dr Kevin Blake as commissioner of police as well as my deep and personal involvement in the police compensation review and restructuring. Together, these measures have laid a stronger foundation of trust, professionalism, and morale, which are essential ingredients for a modern police force.

WELL-PLACED CONFIDENCE

In March 2025, at the opening of the Frome Police Station in Westmoreland, I projected that the country would record fewer than 800 murders for the calendar year. At the time, we were only weeks into the year. There was widespread scepticism about this bold forecast, and some even sought to link it to the impending general election due later in the year.

However, that confidence was never speculative; it was always grounded in evidence. Today’s JCF is data-driven, intelligence-led, and guided by scientific, evidence-based policing strategies. It is further supported by a transformed national security apparatus, ensuring that the gains we are witnessing are not temporary but sustainable and firmly anchored within our institutions.

PREVENTION

While enforcement remains essential, lasting peace cannot be achieved through policing alone. Prevention-focused initiatives, therefore, form a critical pillar of the national security strategy. Through the ministry’s comprehensive programme of work on crime prevention and community safety – including the LIV GUD anti-violence campaign and the continued implementation of the Citizen Security Plan (CSP) in ZOSO communities – we are directly addressing the root causes of crime. These interventions engage young people, promote positive values, and disrupt the pathways that too often lead to violence. Supplementing these efforts is the Inter-Ministerial School Support Strategy (ISSS), which is specifically aimed at eradicating violence in schools and fostering safer, more supportive learning environments.

At the same time, even as we celebrate the achievements of 2025, we remain keenly aware that more work lies ahead. This is particularly so in the ongoing need to strengthen public order and confront interpersonal and domestic violence, which continue to undermine safety and social stability in too many communities. These challenges demand a coordinated response involving law enforcement, social services, families, and communities working together.

ROAD AHEAD

Our next objective is to reduce Jamaica’s homicide rate below the Caribbean average of approximately 17 per 100,000, which means fewer than 500 murders per year.

Experts agree that once homicide levels reach the current range, countries are better positioned to sustain long-term declines through strengthened institutions, social stability, and effective governance. Achieving this will require continued vigilance, sustained investment, and the involvement of everyone.

GUARDING THE GAINS

In the new year, let us resolve together to protect and build on this progress. Let us reject violence in all its forms and support the men and women who stand daily on the front line to preserve order and protect our society. And let us commit ourselves to building a Jamaica where peace is the norm, allowing our people to fully enjoy the social and economic benefits that flow from safety and security.

We must never return to what once was. Instead, we must press forward – confident, united, and resolute – towards what Jamaica can and must become: a safer and more peaceful society.

Dr. Horace Chang is Jamaica’s deputy prime minister and minister of national security and peace. He is member of parliament for North West St James. Send feedback to securityminister@mns.gov.jm.