Jamaica Sees Success in Curbing Killings by Police

[bemildred]

So timely ...

Jamaican police have often been viewed with suspicion and fear, routinely accused of indiscriminately using their weapons and intentionally killing suspects as the island struggled with soaring violent crime.

Now, with overall violence ebbing, the Caribbean country is on track to have the fewest deaths at the hands of law enforcement in years, drawing cautious praise from human rights activists and making officers more welcome in some of Jamaica's grittiest districts.

The number of citizens killed by police is expected to reach just over 100 this year, far below the 258 slain last year by security forces. The annual total of police killings hasn't been below 200 since 2004.

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There seems to be a mix of reasons for the reduction, but perhaps the biggest is a new-found fear among officers of prosecution by an independent agency that investigates allegations against police.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/jamaica-sees-success-curbing-killings-police-27421886

[bbgrunt]

1. this isn't that complex: an independent agency that investigates allegations against police

it is clearly the path to reform this problem. Why haven't these measures taken hold over the past 45 + years? Why isn't this SOP?:

[BrotherIvan]

2. That is EXACTLY what we need

The DAs are protecting the cops and giving them a license to kill. They need an independent agency that is not part of the police organization at all that investigates every shooting or instance of police brutality. It is supposed to be IA but they're part of the system too.

[Recursion]

3. Per capita 258 would be like 30,000 Americans being killed by cops this year

I'm glad to hear Jamaica has done something about this...

[malaise]

5. The police have always been defenders of the Status Quo in Jamaica

but they became an execution machine during the ideological wars of the late 1970s and '80s.

The state has been paying out millions to relatives of people who have been murdered in these extra-judicial killings.

[malaise]

4. Extra-judicial killings in Jamaica have been out of control for decades

Finally INDECOM has ignored the police union and exposed these killers.
I'd like to add that Pat Leahy's bill/law that cuts funding for foreign police forces that violate human rights has also had an impact.

Police are now facing prison terms for murdering citizens and there are lots of cases in the courts.

Just last week a blogger was arrested for photographing cops and mistreated in a lockup. Condemnation came from the government and the Police Commissioner himself. They made it clear that citizens have a right to photograph cops.
The cops involved will be charged - and once again the civil suit will cost the government a bag of money.

Let me be clear - too many people are still dying in lockups.

[bemildred]

6. Thanks for that. Adds to the OP. nt