It is clear that over the years Jamaica House has been CLUELESS as to how to fight crime while crime robs us of 6% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually.
What is the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) doing to force the government to fix the critical structures that are required to fix crime?
In order to fight crime
there must be thoroughness and completeness, foresight and fortitude in
the Minister of National Security’s undertakings. This is not the time for cherry
picking. He must take on board all ideas that make sense in his attempt
to fight crime. Jamaica House, however, has turned a blind eye to the critical
structures that must be fixed in order to fight crime.
Here are a few examples:
1. The 119/911 help line is a disaster. Jamaica House knows that this can be easily remedied and has turned a blind eye
The 119/911 help line
cannot be a success story while it remains under the control of the Police
without checks, balances and accountability.
I therefore recommend
the following
a. The 119/911 help line
must be under the control of an independent body who must be MANDATED to record the
number of answered’ and‘non- answered ‘calls made
by the 119 operator to police stations requesting help for civilians.
A log of those police stations that allow calls to go answered
must be reported to the Minister of National Security and the
Commissioner of Police on a weekly basis for corrective
action which must include disciplinary action. The Minister of National
Security and the Commissioner must be kept up-to-date whether
the Barnett Street, Annotto Bay Police Stations are not answering
and responding to calls for help Sometimes, civilian calls
are ignored and we must, now, know who is lying. Is it the
civilians calling for help or is it the Police.
b. Calls to 119/911 must be recorded automatically by an automatedsystem,
similarly to what exists in North America. The 119/911 help line is not a
confidential line. Crime stop numbers offers confidentiality. The operator
must be trained to deal with emergencies and give advice until the
Police arrive.
c. Upgrade the 119/911 help line to include a
119-smart helpline which allows the callers to optionally add their
addresses to a data bank which will
be displayed to the 119/911 operator when a call is made similarly to
what exists in the USA. This is excellent for pensioners and the elderly.
2. Jamaica needs a Ballistic Machine to identify
the weapons used against civilians. Preferably, this machine must not
be under the control of the police who may prefer
to keep it nonfunctional.
This machine would assist
INDECOM much. Nevertheless,
Jamaica House turns
a blind eye, spending and wasting money
on other items they think the
Police needs.
3. Jamaica needs ‘GUNBUSTERS’ Firearms Pulverizer machines
that actually pulverizes guns. Too many of the guns taken off
the streets return to the hands of criminals by rogue cops. Again, Jamaica
House knows that this can be easily remedied and turns a blind eye.
4. The DNA data bank that is being advocated by
government cannot be under the control of the Police. There must be
checks, balances and accountability put in place. Jamaica House knows that this is so but remains
silent.
The role of the Police
is to collect DNA samples from civilians and send them to the laboratory to garner a
match and not the safekeeping and storage of
DNA samples. The laboratory must be carefully supervised by an independent
body such as INDECOM.
5. Hold regular meetings with INDECOM so as to
ascertain the tools it need and legislation it requires to effectively
monitor and improve the brand of the
Jamaica Constabulary Force
(JCF).
6. Rename the Jamaica Constabulary Force to the
Jamaica Police Service
7. The wearing of masks and the concealment of
identification numbers must be made illegal by legislation brought to the Parliament.
The wearing of masks and the concealment of identification numbers
is a poor reflection on the Minister of National Security since he
is RESPONSIBLE for setting the policies of the JCF. By bringing legislation
to the Parliament such practice must attract adverse punishment which must include
the termination of service if caught interacting with members of the
public with concealed identification numbers and wearing masks.
We have always allowed
ourselves to be hoodwinked and allow Commissioners of Police to pull
wool over our eyes and let us believe that this practice is NECESSARY for
the few rogue policemen that are among them carrying out the operations of the
JCF but for the other policemen who behave like good apples,
the practice of wearing masks is not necessary.
8. From time to time the Jamaica Constabulary Force
has refused to cooperate with INDECOM
with IMPUNITY such as not handing over toINDECOM S guns used
in civilian killings or disallowing, INDECOM, visits to lock-ups at police
stations.This is a poor reflection on the Minister of National Security since
he isRESPONSIBLE for setting the policies of the JCF. By
bringing legislation to the Parliament such practice must attract
adverse punishment which must include the termination of service.
9. Upgrade the image of the Jamaica Constabulary
College at Twickenham Park, Spanish Town from a well-known ‘squaddie centre’ to a college that trains
graduates that are well trained and are highly sought after for employment in
the Cayman Islands and other
common wealth countries, similarly to demand for our nurses
and teachers.
10. Upgrade
the rundown communities of Montego Bay. Provide them with good roads, water and
electricity.
11. Embark
on beautification projects. Develop ‘green spaces’.
12. Provide EASY
ACCESS to training for detached youths.
13. We give enormous powers to
judges, phone companies, policemen to act with impunity
without checks, balances and accountability or any consequence
for breaches of their authority to tap the phones of Jamaicans This
is frightening because it reflects the Government’s low regard for
the rights of the ‘dirty, torn -up trousers man’. I am therefore recommending
the following:
a. Eavesdropping can be the favorite past time
for some persons. Therefore, penalties such as the cancellation
of licences be handed down by the courts to the phone companies,
that allow the Police to wiretap the phones of Jamaican citizens
without the documented approval by the courts
b. All wire taps must be done within a specified
time. Documented approval must be given by the courts for any extension of time
c. Remedies be awarded to Jamaican citizens if the phone companies
illegally wiretap their phones without the documented approval of the
courts
d. The termination of service of any member of the
Police Force without pension benefits for illegally wiretapping thephones
of citizens.
e. Proper records must be kept of phones tapped by the
phone companies
Regards,
D.S.
St. Andrew
No comments:
Post a Comment