A total 961 files relating to police shootings and extrajudicial killings are now being investigated by the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI).

The Police (Civilian Oversight) Authority (PCOA) - established to monitor performance of all police islandwide - last week made the report that 621 cases of fatal shootings and 361 other shooting incidents were now being investigated by the BSI.

The cases were gathered for the periods 2007 to present. The police said last year that there were 635 cases under investigation.

"The alarming number of cases under investigation is a cause for concern," Bishop Charles Dufour, chairman of the PCOA said.

"In July alone there were 33 reported shooting incidents from which allegations of police misconduct have arisen."

He said that such statistics from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) did not speak well for the force.

"The several incidents and the outrage expressed by citizens have provided the material foundation for vast sections of the population to mistrust the police and for others to have serious doubt about their treatment of some citizens," Dufour said.

He said the confidence of the public in the JCF would continue to fall until there was strict adherence by all policemen and women to abide by the rule of law.

"In our environment, one of systematic violence, poor legitimate economic opportunities, corruption and an alarmingly high rate of extrajudicial killings, an active civilian over body is essential to hold the police accountable to standards of policing within the democratic society framework of our constitution," said Dufour.