JCF favours targeted policing over mass operations, ACP McKenzie tells Force for Good podcast

Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr Gary McKenzie has outlined how the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is reshaping its crime-fighting model, speaking on the Force for Good podcast with Senior Superintendent Dennis Brooks.

McKenzie said critics who argue that officers are not doing enough, and who call for more pinpoint work instead of wide-net tactics, are hearing a message the force has pushed harder in recent years than in the past. He contrasted today’s approach with an era when separate specialized units handled different crime types. The JCF no longer relies on that structure, he said, but has shifted toward what he described as a spear-fishing style of policing that has produced strong results.

“We are far more intelligent in our approach to policing,” McKenzie said. Officers must ensure the public can see that enforcement is deliberate and evidence-led, not random. Citizens should be able to recognise real progress against offenders who have long undermined the country’s sense of security and peace.

The conversation turned to viral footage of officers conducting traffic stops and other routine duties while members of the public challenge them. Brooks raised whether the JCF is training personnel adequately to stop motorists for valid reasons and to follow protocols when confronted.

McKenzie said training is extensive and must remain ongoing. He also urged the public to seek accurate information before forming views. In his experience, even people with legal backgrounds sometimes repeat incorrect narratives about police conduct and the law.

The exchange formed part of the second episode of the JCF’s Force for Good series, in which senior leaders discuss policing policy and public trust.