Jamaican parliamentarian Christopher Brown has issued a forceful appeal for immediate governmental intervention following a reported fatality at the Annotto Bay Police Station lock-up in St Mary. The Member of Parliament for St Mary South Eastern characterized the incident as a direct consequence of a severe and long-ignored overcrowding crisis within the detention facility.
In an official statement released on Saturday, Brown emphasized that while he awaits a comprehensive briefing from investigators, any loss of life under state custody is profoundly alarming and demands urgent rectification. He revealed that the station’s lock-up, originally designed to humanely accommodate a maximum of 12 individuals, has been housing nearly 50 detainees—a staggering 400% beyond its intended capacity.
Brown condemned the prevailing conditions as ‘unsafe, unsanitary and unacceptable,’ warning that such extreme congestion inevitably escalates tensions, jeopardizing the safety and well-being of both those detained and the police officers on duty. The environment, he argued, creates a tinderbox for conflict and fails to meet basic standards of human dignity.
Beyond calling for a transparent and immediate investigation into the specific death, the MP outlined a three-pronged demand for systemic reform. This includes urgent measures to decongest the Annotto Bay facility, a thorough review of national detainee housing protocols, and the formulation of a clear, actionable improvement plan from authorities to prevent future tragedies.
Expanding his critique to a constituency-wide infrastructure crisis, Brown also pressed the Ministry of National Security to address the dilapidated state of other police stations, specifically citing the Belfield Police Station as being in ‘a state of total disrepair’ and raising concerns about the Richmond Police Station. He urged the ministry to allocate necessary resources to ensure all policing facilities provide safe and humane environments for personnel and detainees alike.
The incident has prompted parallel investigations by both the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB), underscoring the seriousness of the allegations.