JCF to adapt KOBAN-Brazil policing to strengthen community relations

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is looking to adapt the KOBAN-Brazil community policing as a model for strengthening police-citizen relations in the fight against crime in Jamaica.

Practised in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the Japanese-style community policing system focuses on small, accessible police posts for community interaction. The objective is to build trust and collaboration between law enforcement and local communities.

Thirty-seven members of the JCF completed specialised hands-on training in the system in September 2025, delivered by the Military Police of the State of Sao Paulo, to integrate these new strategies across all JCF divisions for a more effective, community-focused force.

The training was undertaken as part of the ‘Jamaica Capacity-Building on the Community Policing-KOBAN System’ programme, which is a tripartite agreement involving Jamaica, Brazil, and Japan, aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s national security and safety.

Head of the National Police College of Jamaica (NPCJ), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Merrick Watson, said the KOBAN system is intended to complement the model used by members of the JCF.

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He noted that participants in the training have been equipped to promote greater cooperation, foster deeper public engagement and, ultimately, improve overall efficiency in ensuring the safety and security of communities.

Speaking at the closing ceremony held at the NPCJ’s Twickenham Park location in St. Catherine in September, ACP Watson said that the insights gained from the training offer a powerful toolkit that will allow the JCF members to be more proactive, more visible, and more responsive to the needs of the communities they serve.

He said that the training “reinforces the belief that true community and safety is built on partnership and trust, pillars of community policing that the JCF Community Safety and Security branch champions every day”.

He told the graduates that the new knowledge and tools acquired “should assist each of you to comprehend and modify strategies, promote teamwork, and enhance our collective effectiveness in maintaining public engagement and safety”.

He charged them to take this knowledge back to their divisions and integrate these enhanced community policing strategies into their daily operations.

“The training is not just about adapting a model but embracing a philosophy that places the community at the heart of Jamaica’s policing efforts,” he pointed out, urging the officers to apply what they have learned with diligence, innovation, and in an unwavering commitment to service.

“Let this be the beginning of a sustained effort to build stronger, safer communities across Jamaica, inspired by the best global practices. Your insight, your enthusiasm, and your dedication are crucial as we move forward,” he added.

Ambassador of Japan to Jamaica, Yasuhiro Atsumi, said his country shares the same aspirations as Jamaica and Brazil for the attainment of peace, stability, peaceful resolution of conflicts and practices that lead to consensus-based decision-making.

“Indeed, since 37 JCF members have completed training, I am even more confident that significant benefits will be reaped by Jamaica through the modelling and implementation of a Japanese-style community policing cooperative system over time,” he said.

Chargé d’Affaires, Brazilian Embassy in Jamaica, Antonio Otavio Sá Ricarte, hailed the tripartite collaboration as a “vision for a safer, more engaged, and more inclusive society”.

He said that the dedication of the trained officers “represents the future of community policing in Jamaica, rooted in respect, dialogue, and service”.

The KOBAN training focused on theoretical frameworks, core principles, practical tools, and strategies for community engagement.

Fifteen JCF members travelled to Brazil from March 1 to 22, 2024 for instruction, with 37 completing training under the programme.