Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

Sniffer dogs have been brought in at the Supreme Court building, downtown Kingston, to assist the police in their fight to stop prisoners from smoking ganja in the cell located downstairs the Supreme Court building on King Street.

"The dogs have been very effective and everyone can now breathe a breath of fresh air," Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Neville Knight told The Gleaner yesterday.

Two weeks ago, jurors complained to The Gleaner that they were shocked that prisoners were allowed to smoke ganja in the cell. Some said that the smell was overbearing and that they were going to write to Minister of Justice A. J. Nicholson about the matter

When questioned about what was going to be done to stop the practice, DSP Knight, who is attached to the Supreme Court, said he was going to seek assistance from other police departments to stop the ganja smoking which was getting out of hand.

Other policemen who were questioned about the matter complained of being short-staffed and said it was very difficult to conduct a thorough search of the prisoners. They said about 30 to 100 prisoners appear in the Home Circuit Court and Gun Court on a daily basis.

DSP Knight said yesterday that his efforts have been successful because since last week, the police from detention, courts, the Search Centre and the Canine Division have been assisting in the processing of prisoners for court.

He expressed alarm at the different types of contraband, particularly the large number of ganja spliffs, which were found in possession of the prisoners.