Dear Editor,
I am amazed at our recent approach to solving crime. Our emphasis seems to be on punishment for the crime and, surprisingly, not preventing and, very importantly, solving the problem.
If this is our thinking, then our Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte should figure out the logic as to whether the egg is first, versus the chicken. In my mind, preventing and solving would remove the immediate dilemma.
Whether a person gets bail five or 10 times is the least of the issues at hand; as we would have already had that person listed in numerous databases, and we would know who and what challenges we are dealing with.
Here in Jamaica we seem to spend so much money on training police officers overseas in forensic science, yet the taxpayers are not reaping the benefits. From television images, the police don’t seem to even know how to secure a crime scene, much less to have the discipline and serious commitment to put a crime puzzle together to form clues.
Here is my contribution as a concerned citizen to the crime-fighting leaders:
1) Establish a system so officers will take pride in their jobs.
2) Collate per parish the number of crimes solved per year. If under 60 per cent (as a starting point), remove detectives and senior officers from the force to firefighting.
3) Only officers with a proven record of achieving acceptable quotas in solving crime will be promoted to the next level. If you cannot swim you are out.
Malahoo Forte, the word “urgency” is what you should be using to propell your effort to a solution to the crime probem. We cannot wait for the next two or more years for you to finalise the changes you are proposing, or for you to complete the legal manoeuvres in Parliament. Let’s start with the immediate needs on the ground.
Neville Grant
nevillejamrock@gmail.com
I am amazed at our recent approach to solving crime. Our emphasis seems to be on punishment for the crime and, surprisingly, not preventing and, very importantly, solving the problem.
If this is our thinking, then our Attorney General Marlene Malahoo Forte should figure out the logic as to whether the egg is first, versus the chicken. In my mind, preventing and solving would remove the immediate dilemma.
Whether a person gets bail five or 10 times is the least of the issues at hand; as we would have already had that person listed in numerous databases, and we would know who and what challenges we are dealing with.
Here in Jamaica we seem to spend so much money on training police officers overseas in forensic science, yet the taxpayers are not reaping the benefits. From television images, the police don’t seem to even know how to secure a crime scene, much less to have the discipline and serious commitment to put a crime puzzle together to form clues.
Here is my contribution as a concerned citizen to the crime-fighting leaders:
1) Establish a system so officers will take pride in their jobs.
2) Collate per parish the number of crimes solved per year. If under 60 per cent (as a starting point), remove detectives and senior officers from the force to firefighting.
3) Only officers with a proven record of achieving acceptable quotas in solving crime will be promoted to the next level. If you cannot swim you are out.
Malahoo Forte, the word “urgency” is what you should be using to propell your effort to a solution to the crime probem. We cannot wait for the next two or more years for you to finalise the changes you are proposing, or for you to complete the legal manoeuvres in Parliament. Let’s start with the immediate needs on the ground.
Neville Grant
nevillejamrock@gmail.com