Jamaican cops hailed for helping to drive down murders in Turks and Caicos

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: 

Jamaican police officers currently posted to the Turks and Caicos Islands are being credited with helping to drive down murders and major crimes in the British overseas territory which has had no murders in the last eight months.

Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Charles Washington Misick, says the presence of the 28-member Jamaican police contingent has had a “tremendous and positive” impact on national security.

“[In 2024] we had 47 murders. Twenty-five we had 27 murders. So far this year, from September to now, we’ve had zero murders, and major crimes have gone down like 50 to 60 per cent,” Misick said during an interview with The Gleaner.

“I think that largely can be attributed to the contribution that the Jamaican contingent has made here under the direction of Commissioner Bailey, so that tells the story. Impact has been tremendous and positive,” he added.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, who visited the officers on Saturday at their residence in the Turks and Caicos Islands, praised them for what he described as sterling representation of Jamaica abroad.

“Your professional policing, dedication to your work and commitment to results are to be highly commended,” Holness told the officers.

“You are clearly ambassadors for Jamaica, and you show that you are not just a police force that can operate in the conditions of Jamaica, but you have the skills and competence to operate regionally and indeed internationally,” he added.

Holness said the deployment demonstrated the strength and professionalism of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

“It speaks volumes to the over 150-year-old organisation that it can produce men and women of the quality that I have observed here today,” the prime minister said.

Holness also pointed to the reduction in murders in both Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands as evidence of the effectiveness of the policing strategies being employed.

“I’m sure that the people of Turks and Caicos Islands are very happy and are probably celebrating that to this point there have been no murders in their country, and that the murder rate has been reduced significantly in the last year or so during your presence,” he said.

“The same is happening in Jamaica,” Holness added, noting that senior police officers recently reported three consecutive days without a murder in Jamaica.

Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, also praised the Jamaican officers, describing them as a critical part of the territory’s crime-fighting strategy.

“I think the Jamaican contingent have made a significant difference, not only in tackling crime and helping us in addressing the threats that confront us, but also they’ve become very much an integrated part of the police force,” the governor said.

She explained that the partnership has gone beyond immediate security support and is helping to strengthen the long-term capabilities of the Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force through joint training initiatives with Jamaica. 

Janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

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