KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) capacity to effectively investigate property theft has been boosted with the donation of equipment valued at approximately $1 million by telecommunications firm, Digicel.

The equipment uses synthetic Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) technology.

Some 50 kits, manufactured by British firm, Selectamark Security Systems, under its SelectaDNA brand, were presented to Police Commissioner, Owen Ellington, during Tuesday’s (January 22) launch of the DNA Forensic Property Marking System in Jamaica, held at the Office of the Police Commissioner, Old Hope Road, St Andrew.

Establishment of the system is being facilitated in Jamaica by local firm, Shields Crime and Security Consultants, headed by former Deputy Police Commissioner, Mark Shields, which has partnered with Selectamark Security.

Managing director of Selectamark Security Systems, Andrew Knights, who made presentation, explained that the application is a property marking system, or a personal identification product, “entailing unique codes, which is applied to personal effects and other assets, and can be easily identified using an ultra violet torch”.

This, he said, is complemented by a global database, to which Jamaica is already connected, which can be accessed by local law enforcement officers “within seconds” to verify the status of property found in the possession of persons, which is suspected to be stolen.

Ellington, in accepting the new technology, said that the JCF’s Forensic Scene of Crime Division has been identified as the central point of contact with Shields Consultants and Selectamark in developing the operational protocols.

“But ultimately, we intend to have all our members on the frontline…to check on property, which we find in the custody of individuals, who we suspect have stolen them or obtained them unlawfully,” he said.