INDECOM recommends charges for 26 state agents during 6 months in 2025
Published:Wednesday | January 14, 2026 | 12:28 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) has revealed that 26 recommendations for criminal charges and 23 for disciplinary actions, were made against state agents for the six-month period April to September 2025.
The information is contained in the Commission’s April to June and July to September quarterly reports for 2025, tabled in Parliament yesterday.
According to INDECOM, its legal department completed and distributed 113 reports during the second quarter, April to June 2025, with 44 received in April, 36 in May, and 33 in June.
The third quarter report showed 119 reports were completed and distributed, broken down as 47 in July, 34 in August, and 38 in September.
Across the two quarters, INDECOM confirmed that the director of public prosecutions (DPP) made 26 recommendations for criminal charges following the completion of investigations.
In addition, the DPP’s office also made recommendations for disciplinary action to be taken in 23 instances against members of the security forces for various breaches and offences.
Some of the rulings were for a combination of charge and disciplinary action.
For the period, April to June 2025, INDECOM received 398 categories of complaints from 303 incidents reported.
The top five categories of complaints include assault (144), fatal shooting (72), neglect of duty (43), discharge of firearm (30) and harassment (17).
The Commission’s Forensic Unit reportedly responded to 96 incident scenes during the quarter, April to June 2025.
INDECOM said there were three deaths in custody for the period.
Kingston and St Andrew accounted for the bulk of complaints, with 117, while Portland recorded the least, with three.
For the period July to September, the Commission received 392 complaints from 317 new incidents reported for the period.
TOP FIVE CATEGORIES OF COMPLAINTS
The top five categories of complaints were assault (126), fatal shooting (61), discharge of firearm (52), neglect of duty (45) and unprofessional conduct (19).
The Commission’s Forensic Unit also responded to 94 incident scenes during the quarter, July to September 2025.
There were also eight deaths in custody for the period.
Like the quarter before, Kingston and St Andrew recorded the highest with 115 complaints, while Portland and St Elizabeth recorded the least, with six reports each.
INDECOM noted that all recommendations for criminal charges followed the completion of investigations and were formally submitted to the Office of the DPP, which retains constitutional authority to determine whether charges will be laid.
The Commission has maintained that it does not determine guilt but is tasked with independently investigating incidents involving members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Defence Force and the Department of Correctional Services, including matters resulting in death, injury, or allegations of abuse.
The tabling of both reports brings Parliament up to date on INDECOM’s investigative activities for the first three quarters of 2025 and underscores ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability and oversight of state agents.
In previous quarterly reports, INDECOM has highlighted persistent issues related to the use of force, alleged breaches of operational procedures, and conduct during security operations.
While the number of recommendations varies from quarter to quarter, the Commission has repeatedly underscored the challenges posed by investigative delays, resource constraints, and the length of time required for matters to progress through the prosecutorial process.
INDECOM has also used past reports to call for greater cooperation from security agencies and continued legislative support to strengthen its oversight mandate.
INDECOM’s quarterly reports are tabled in Parliament as part of its statutory obligations, providing lawmakers and the public with regular updates on the state of accountability and oversight within Jamaica’s state agents.