Former Police Commissioner Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin has strongly criticised the prolonged delay in equipping officers within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) with body-worn cameras, accusing authorities of mishandling public expectations while millions continue to be spent with little visible progress.
In a pointed intervention that has reignited national debate on police accountability, Lewin, during a JFJ-hosted panel discussion, questioned the pace of implementation and the lack of tangible results from years of discussion surrounding the technology. “They take us for fools” he declared, as he challenged the continued delays in rolling out a system widely regarded as essential for modern policing and transparency.
Lewin argued that the absence of body-worn cameras continues to undermine trust between law enforcement and the public, particularly in cases involving police shootings or allegations of misconduct. He stressed that such technology is not a luxury but a necessity for both accountability and protection of officers and civilians during critical incidents.
The former commissioner’s remarks have intensified discussion around whether the long-promised body camera programme is being treated as a genuine reform initiative or merely repeated as a political talking point without decisive execution. His comments also come amid ongoing scrutiny of oversight mechanisms such as the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), which remains central to public debate on police accountability.
As reactions continue to build across the public space and social media, attention is now turning to whether authorities will accelerate implementation of the body camera system or risk further erosion of confidence in the policing process in Jamaica.
