Dear Editor,

It was reported last week that the Minister of National Security Peter Bunting has indicated that certain members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are soon to be equipped with body-worn cameras whilst on duty.

I would like to commend the minister for this move and also take the opportunity to encourage him to further utilise various means of technology in the fight against crime.

I say, yet again, that many effective strategies to combat, and in fact slay the crime monster in Jamaica are being successfully employed elsewhere in the world, and it remains a mystery why much of these advancements are not being used here, especially as most persons would agree that crime is perhaps our biggest problem.

I encourage Minister Bunting to continue to push for the implementation of an effective Vehicle Tracking/Fleet Management system for all JCF vehicles. Such a system was demonstrated to the JCF and Ministry of National Security from as far back as perhaps 2005 and would allow for the following:

1 Monitoring abuse of police vehicles, especially when off duty

2 Dispatching the closest vehicles to any emergency

3 Proper investigating of all complaints by confirming all police resources that were present or in a specified area

4) Reducing accidents involving police vehicles by monitoring speed violations

5) Providing accurate data relating to response times to all emergencies

While cost is always a huge consideration, I remain confi-dent that the reduction in wasted man hours and the savings on petrol that would result from installing tracking systems would ensure a prompt return on investment with enhanced the management capability and accountability.

I would however not stop there, CCTV technology has been proven time and again to be a game-changer in the fight against crime; not only by capturing critical evidence, but also serving as a deterrent.

What about the long-awaited DNA legislation? It is impossible to overemphasise the effectiveness of DNA in not only convicting criminals, but also in proving the innocence of many alleged perpetrators. It has been used elsewhere with great success, so one wonders how much longer this vital tool will be omitted from the JCF’s arsenal.

The face of crime has changed over past decades and it is foolhardy to expect that successful strategies used in the past will be equally successful today, notwithstanding the best efforts of the hard-working men and women of the JCF. Incorporating more and more technology in the fight against crime will undoubtedly be the most effective approach and yield the most dramatic results. Make no mistake, the solutions do exist; it is the resolve to implement these solutions that remains in question.

John P Azar

Managing Director

KingAlarm Systems Limited