Decrease in police fatalities, INDECOM says

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) says it has recorded a sharp decrease in security force-related fatalities for the first quarter of 2014.

At the end of the first quarter, the Commission said it recorded a total of 40 fatalities; 36 less than the first quarter of 2013 when 76 fatalities were committed by the security forces.

“We are certainly encouraged by these figures and we hope that the number will continue on a downward trajectory going forward. It is particularly refreshing given the report of the general decline in crime during this period,” said Commissioner of INDECOM Terrence Williams.

INDECOM in a release Wednesday morning said that it recorded 22 fatalities in January 2014, down from the 30 recorded in January last year.

In February 14 fatalities were recorded, down from 27 in 2013; and in March four fatalities were recorded — the lowest in the history of the Commission, the INDECOM release said.

Last year 19 fatalities were recorded in March.

According to INDECOM in the first quarter of the last three years the figures showed a steady increase as in 2011 the commission recorded 60 fatalities; the following year this figure increased to 66 representing a nine per cent increase and in 2013, 76 fatalities were recorded representing a 15 per cent increase.

For the past three years, the annual figures for fatalities have risen as follows: 2011 – 210; 2012 – 219; 2013 – 258.