BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth — Police officers assigned to major commercial centres across St Elizabeth are now equipped with body-worn cameras as the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) continues efforts to strengthen accountability and modernise policing operations.
The announcement was made by Superintendent Coleridge Minto, commanding officer for the St Elizabeth Police Division, during a recent meeting of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation.
According to Minto, the cameras have already been deployed in several busy business districts, including Pedro Plains, Lacovia, and Santa Cruz.
“Chairman, the division now has body-worn cameras. We have cameras now at Pedro, Lacovia, and Santa Cruz,” Minto stated during the meeting.
The initiative forms part of wider efforts to improve transparency in policing and enhance interactions between officers and members of the public.
Mayor of Black River, Richard Solomon, welcomed the move, noting that the cameras could help reduce complaints against police personnel while increasing public confidence in law enforcement.
Body-worn cameras are increasingly being adopted by police forces worldwide as tools to document encounters, gather evidence, and improve professionalism during operations.
The Government has been expanding the use of the technology across the JCF in recent months. Earlier this year, officials announced that approximately 1,000 additional body cameras had been secured for deployment islandwide.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has previously described body-worn cameras as an important part of modern policing and a key measure in promoting transparency and accountability within the force.
The St Elizabeth rollout comes amid continued national discussions surrounding public safety, police conduct, and the use of technology in crime-fighting efforts.
JCF Begins Deployment of 1,000 Body-Worn Cameras Across Police Force