Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Les Green.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Les Green is urging Parliament to come to a consensus on legalising the use of DNA testing in the local fight against crime.
"Certainly bringing that about isn't difficult; what is difficult is forming the consensus of opinion and support from both sides of the House (of Representatives) to get the legislation approved," Green said during a recent presentation to the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce at its Ocean Boulevard offices in downtown Kingston. "I think we need to work on a consensus so that we have support from both sides of the communities, both sides of the political divide."
ACP Green said the new drive within the force, towards technology, needs to be buttressed with the establishment of a DNA and fingerprint database.
No power to take DNA
"We should have the capability to retain fingerprints and DNA samples from suspects who are charged with offences. At the moment we have no power to take DNA," he said.
"We currently have no legislation. So maybe we (human rights groups and police) can come to some sort of joint support and present a proposal to the Government and move towards having a national fingerprint and DNA database in relation to persons who were convicted or charged with an offence."
Dr Carolyn Gomes, executive director of Jamaicans For Justice, told The Gleaner that her group had not yet signed off on the use of DNA evidence in the fight against crime and that it was still exploring the issue.
ACP Green said while the JCF was making strides in the area of technology, much more needed to be done.
Technology problem
"Technology is a real problem for the JCF. We're lucky if we have one computer in each of the divisions; 19 divisions across Jamaica, hundreds of police stations but only maybe 19 computers. If you go into any police station you will not see computers, but if you go into any police station around the world, you will see computers every-where."
ACP Green also announced the expansion of the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT), which will now be known as the Kingston and St Andrew MIT, which will deal with major shootings and wounding.
There are currently 80 officers working at the Harbour Street offices, with the number expected to rise to 110 by next week and 200 by the end of March. ACP Green expects the unit to be fully functional by the end of the Easter break.
"That unit will be very much targeting gun crime. I am sure that you are well aware of the issues that affect not only downtown Kingston but the upper class of Kingston as well and St Andrew."
He also said the unit would be moving towards the use of video imaging in identifying suspects after the Easter break. This, he noted, would improve procedures related to ID parades, which are often compromised by individuals' fear to appear.
