THE EDITOR, Sir:
I AM not a criminologist neither do I have any training in law enforcement, nevertheless, I strongly believe that there is a simple way to restore law and order in our society, something that's severely lacking at the present time.
My simple solution is as follows. The police force should concentrate all their efforts and resources on enforcing law and order on our streets. By this I mean that no road offence should be allowed to go unpunished (zero tolerance) i.e. the bicycle rider who rides on the right-hand side of the road (towards oncoming traffic) and also disregards stop signs and traffic lights must be brought to book. The mini bus drivers who traverse our roads (e.g. Spanish Town Road between Three Miles and Maxfield Avenue) and who constantly overtake a line of vehicles endangering their passengers and other road users must be brought to book.
The drivers who are exiting from lateral roads unto main roads and protrude their vehicle into the path of oncoming traffic as if compelling you to stop and allow them to exit must be brought to book. The motorist who believes that the amber light means to speed up in order to avoid the red light and that the stop sign (e.g. intersection of Molynes Road and Sunrise Drive) needs not be obeyed since no traffic is in sight, must be brought to book.
I could go on and on, however, I am sure you get my drift. It is my humble opinion that this would greatly assist in returning our society to some semblance of law and order and it does not require any intelligence, undercover work or any of the popular clichés regularly used by our police force. I sincerely believe that if people can be made to clearly understand that they will not be permitted to get away with small offences and this can be made visible (nothing is more visible than traffic offences) to all and sundry it will go a far way in correcting and reversing the current scourge that is now plaguing our country.
In addition, if the population can be made to understand in no uncertain terms that under no circumstance whatsoever will they be allowed to get away with small offence, it will go a far way in convincing and deterring them from attempting to commit larger ones.
However, it should be noted that none of this can be accomplished, unless we can rid ourselves of the corrupt policemen. I think my suggestion should be given some consideration as to date all else has failed.
I am, etc.,
VOLNEY BOSWELL
Kingston 19
