Fearful residents turn to CCTV

When James installed surveillance cameras outside his home in one of Jamaica's tough inner-city communities last year, it was not to ward off burglars. Instead, he said the move was driven by a deeper fear -- the need to protect his family not only from criminals, but also from the very authorities sworn to keep them safe.

"Mi install mi cameras over a year now from mi see them start kill the youth dem," he said.

Last week, he said he witnessed a police shooting in his lane. Though unsure of the outcome, he hopes footage -- whether from his camera or another resident's -- will help ensure the incident is examined "in the right and proper way."

Jamaica currently experiences high levels of fatal police shootings. More than 40 persons have been shot and killed by members of the security forces since the start of the year. Some 311 people were fatally shot by the police in 2025, the highest annual total since reporting began in 2017.

In his community, cameras now hang from verandas and zinc fences as residents take steps to ensure their security.

"Right now, in my lane, yuh look and see a lot of cameras inna yard, and mi glad we taking heed," James said.

For James, the surveillance technology offers some level of security.

"Surveillance camera cheap and mi think a lot of people in the country must start invest in these kinds of technologies because to how the country a run, not even the dog dem safe," he said.

Nicola Walters, who was protesting the fatal police shooting of Lucien Anderson on Sunday, claimed that police removed cameras that had been set up in the area.

"Them nuh have nuh right. Why dem need fi remove our cameras? It is our property. What rights do we have fi exercise in this country with these lawmen?"

"We put up the camera dem fi we own safety, not just from the police dem but from the criminals dem too," she added.

Nicola, a resident of Craig Town, St Andrew, emphasised that the cameras were meant to protect residents from both criminal activity and potential failings in policing.

"We put up the camera dem fi we own safety, not just from the police dem but from the criminals dem too," she said.

Nicola said that in some instances, law enforcement personnel remove safety measures installed by residents.

"Them nuh have nuh right. Why dem need fi remove our cameras? It is our property. What rights do we have fi exercise in this country with these lawmen?"

The use of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras has become an important tool in boosting security, allowing both residents and authorities to monitor activities and gather crucial evidence when incidents occur. The Government, through its JamaicaEye initiative, encourages home-owners and business operators to voluntarily link private surveillance cameras to a national monitoring network to assist investigations.

Last year, the Government installed CCTV cameras mounted at strategic locations on Olympic Way in Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness' St Andrew West Central constituency.

"It is important to let the criminals know that we see you, we know you, we can find you, and we will reach out and touch you," Holness said during the commissioning ceremony of the CCTV surveillance project on Olympic Way.

James likes the JamaicaEye initiative. He, however, feels that public CCTV coverage alone is not enough. He reasoned: "That alone caah do nothing when dem murderer yah come inna yuh house inna broad daylight and early morning," he said.

"Sometimes dem do some things and implement some things, but certain things we have to read between the lines, and help wi self, because dead man tell no tales," he said.

The concerned citizen, however, alleged that there are occasions that members of the security forces interfere with the cameras, especially in instances where there was an alleged confrontation with members of the community. Those alleged actions, he reasoned, run counter to their objective of capturing the truth of events that have unfolded.

"How must we protect wi self when dem come and demand we give dem we camera, or dem tek it dung dem self? What rights do we really have?" he asked.

Attorney Bert Samuels says residents do have legal protections.

"To take it away and confiscate it? No. Your phone is your property, and the police have no right to take your property unless you have committed a crime with the phone," Samuels explained.

He noted that law enforcement officers generally require lawful grounds -- such as a warrant or clear evidentiary relevance -- before seizing a device. A phone or camera may be taken if it forms part of a crime or contains evidence directly linked to an offence.

"They can't just say it is for further investigations. Don't give it to them," he said, while cautioning that citizens should not obstruct lawful probes, as officers may seek court orders to access relevant footage.

Samuels pointed to the 2020 killing of George Floyd in the USA as an example of how citizen-recorded footage can shape public understanding.

"The first report was cardiac arrest. It was when a citizen taped what happened and it went viral that they uncovered the lies that the police told," he said. "That's a very good case example of citizens using their phone to assist in the administration of justice."

He added that cameras can serve both sides of the truth.

"Footage can contradict the police story, or it can contradict the citizens who maybe saying, 'him never have no gun pan him.' Cameras bring clarity."

Residents, he noted, can also lodge complaints with INDECOM and, where possible, back up footage before surrendering devices.