Kingston Central records sharp crime drop, JCF credits Project STAR partnership

Kingston Central Division has logged a marked drop in crime, with the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) confirming that no violent incidents have been recorded so far this year in communities such as Rose Gardens.

The figures were shared during a Project STAR town hall held at Pentab High School, according to a release from the organisation. Divisional Commander Superintendent Mishka Forbes described the turnaround as a milestone for an area long associated with entrenched violence.

“It is quite a feat and an accomplishment, especially given the history of these communities,” Superintendent Forbes reportedly said, pointing to ongoing teamwork between officers, residents and social intervention partners.

According to the release, police attribute the gains to steady community engagement, monthly Community Intervention Team sessions, and joint work with Project STAR, restorative justice practitioners, Crime Stop and the Domestic Violence Intervention unit. Residents, the Superintendent reportedly said, are increasingly willing to step forward and help craft fixes for longstanding issues.

JCF data show that major crimes in Rose Gardens — including murder, shootings, robberies, break-ins and rape — dropped from 25 incidents in 2023 to 14 in 2024, before sliding further to nine in 2025.

Ambassador Alison Stone Roofe, permanent secretary in the Ministry of National Security and Peace, praised the gains and said the Kingston Central outcome shows that social transformation must run alongside policing.

“This kind of reintegration of communities bringing collaboration within and among communities is part of what the Ministry of National Security is about,” Ambassador Stone Roofe reportedly said. “Working side by side with Project STAR, our goal is to build stronger, better and safer communities that people want to live in, work in and raise their families.”

She urged residents to keep showing up, arguing that lasting change depends on local ownership and consistent involvement.

Project STAR sponsor Keith Duncan pointed to trust and staying power as central to the results. “What we have done in partnership with the community and the police has been tremendous,” Duncan reportedly said. “You cannot come into a community for one year and leave. You have to stay with the people, build trust, and work alongside them.”

Duncan said the Rose Gardens model is now seen as a template for other vulnerable areas and could be rolled out nationally with sustained government and private-sector backing.

Police officials, according to Project STAR, say the Kingston Central experience demonstrates that pairing focused policing with social investment, economic support and community leadership can reshape other high-risk districts across Jamaica.