Dear Editor,

Following the most recent gun bust a few days ago in St Catherine, Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey, who, commendably, led the operation, was reported as saying that the weapons and ammunition seized could have “slipped through the cracks” if he and his team had not taken the swift actions that they did.

Yes, they seized the guns, and yes, they arrested the people transporting them. Indeed, we’re all glad to know that our Customs officers, police, and border control services are working overtime to keep us as safe as possible from the scourge of illegal guns and other contraband.

But here’s the part I don’t understand — police sources report that the police team knew when the guns came in, when they were taken off the ports, and strongly suspected where they were going.

Wouldn’t it have been better to place a small, inexpensive, and widely available tracker system discreetly within the shipment? And, if it is true that the police team had a positive ID of the car and the people transporting the shipment, couldn’t they have discreetly followed the car — with a backup team on call nearby — until the shipment reached its final destination?

Wouldn’t this have been a better plan to try and arrest the real mastermind(s)?

Once again, “Mr Big” has eluded them! Somehow the police never seem to be able to catch the real masterminds behind these activities.

We need to make better use of all the technology available to us to rid our country of the crime monster. And if we don’t have the technology in hand, surely our international partners can help us to procure same.

It’s the year 2022 and we’re in the middle of the golden age of technology, let us use it to help our crime fighters.

Proactive Jamaicans

proactivejamaicans@gmail.com