File
Commissioner Forbes sits on one of the new motorcycles handed over to the police in previous years.The following is based on aspects of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's crime-fighting plan unveiled by Police Commissioner, Francis Forbes, last week.
The crime statistics of 2001 have already been made available and have been publicised and discussed in the media, to my mind sufficiently.
However, alongside the increase in homicides, it is important to point out certain other significant observations.
First, there has been a significant increase in gun murders and reported cases of shootings. There was a noticeable decline in robberies involving the use of guns.
Gang-related murders also saw a significant increase particularly in the Corporate Area.
YOUTH AND CRIME
The issue of youth and crime is also sending alarm signals in that:
There is an increase in the number of youth who are falling victims to crime as well as youth who are being linked to crime.
More students seem to be taking knives to school and there are several arrests of students either on the way to school or from school who are in possession of illegal guns and ammunition.
This is something that will be given special attention by us during the year 2002.
Our successes in the area of narcotics interdiction is expected to continue, as we have already commenced an expansion of the Narcotics Police Division.
In addition, we are expecting assistance in training in terms of new strategies for gathering intelligence and for the interdiction of major narcotics traffickers.
The commitment of the Minister to upgrade the Marine Police Division by the acquisition of "go fast" boats that are seized will serve to further add to the areas of successes.
The use of the narcotics detection dogs at our ports has continued to yield positive results and our cooperation with law enforcement officials in the United Kingdom (UK) will continue at the highest level during this year, to reduce the number of body carriers or drug mules and to apprehend the "big people" who are behind this increasing trend.
INITIATIVES
So far, a number of initiatives have begun in furtherance of the recently announced crime strategies among which are the following:
Frequently publicised list of wanted persons
The introduction of the Call Gun Hot Line.
Proactive road traffic law enforcement which now sees more police persons being placed at strategic intersections.
The increase in the number of intelligence-driven searches.
In addition, we have upgraded our reserve capacity on a 24-hour basis to allow for a better response to incidents such as what occurred between 100 Lane and Park Lane at the beginning of the year.
Currently, members of Mobile Reserve and members of the Jamaica Defence Force are undergoing specialised training to improve their competencies as required in such circumstances.
Also, we have developed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Constabulary and the Jamaica Society of Industrial Security which has as its main objective the utilisation of private security members in the collection and collation of information regarding criminal activities.
This Memorandum of Understanding is currently being reviewed and is expected to be signed in the very near future.
Finally, in pursuit of filling our existing vacancies in personnel, a recruitment drive has commenced with advertisement in the print and electronic media and Government has approved the use of privately owned facilities to accommodate training of the increased numbers anticipated.
At present, over 400 applicants are being processed, the majority of whom are at this stage expected to be successful.
It is hoped that over a 18-month period we will be able to recruit and train at the initial stage approximately 1,000 people.
Witness Protection is high on the agenda not just in Jamaica but regionally and will continue to be addressed as a major issue for improvement in the near future.
