Ross Sheil, Staff Reporter

Thomas

Commissioner of Police Lucius Thomas has called upon civil society to lobby Parliament to improve what he called "inadequate" legislation to deal with increasingly sophisticated and technologically-enabled crime.

"Right here in Jamaica we are witnessing an increase in Internet-based scams and frauds associated with the use of credit and cash cards. I believe that the laws under which we operate are inadequate to deal with fraud, in particular fraud involving the use of technology," he told his audience at the St. Ann Lay Magistrate Association's annual awards ceremony yesterday. The Forgery Act would also need to be amended to include modern devices, he said.

Computer-based evidence

Commissioner Thomas said that computer-based evidence needed to become more easily admissible in court. Currently, it is the responsibility of the prosecution to establish that a computer from which evidence was being submitted, was not faulty and was being operated frequently. Suggested amendments to the Evidence Act, which will shift this burden of proof to the defence, are currently with the office of the Attorney-General. "... Right now, it is far too difficult to do so," he explained.

The commissioner warned that personal data of persons assigned a phone number should be properly logged by telecommunications companies since it is too easy for them to use a cellular phone to commit a crime and then dispose of the chip to cover their tracks.

Pointing to strides in other technological areas in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the commissioner said that under the old manual fingerprinting system, just 15 to 20 matches were being made annually, but with the official launch of the Automated Palm and Finger Information System (APFIS) on October 4, 64 had already been made, up to Monday.

Ten portable devices will be in use by officers by year-end, he added. Additionally, he said that the JCF would be reviewing its new systems on a quarterly basis.

In the meantime. Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, who has responsibility for organised crime, says the JCF simply needs basic forensic equipment and equipment to properly process crime scenes.

ACP Green told The Sunday Gleaner that the extra US$20 million requested by the crime portfolio is to equip police with basic forensic items such as brushes, fingerprint powder and forensic laboratories having the necessary supplies to detect firearms residue, hair and DNA at crime scenes.

But with a fingerprint system now up and running, he said that the JCF should also look to develop something similar for footprints, which he said can be just as useful in identifying a suspect.

"You are more likely to find them than fingerprints, depending on the kind of scene. For instance, in Jamaica, where most house floors are tiled, that is an excellent surface for footprints to be left," he said.