THE EDITOR, Sir:
AS I read the newspapers, listen to interviews and observe the effectiveness of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, in fighting and dealing with crime, I am convinced that the JCF is incapable of stemming crime and violence in Jamaica.
One of the most effective deterrents of crime in any society is for perpetrators of crime to know that they most likely will be caught if they break the law in any way.
One of the reasons for the high crime rate in Jamaica at this time is due to fact that criminals know that the likelihood of being caught is minimal.
The JCF has shown time and time again that they cannot effectively catch and prosecute criminals. This incapability is due to a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is a lack of intelligence and preparation on the part of the JCF.
The case in point is a major drug bust which happened recently in the town of Gimme-Me-Bit, Trelawny. A large quantity of cocaine was recovered and no suspects were caught, even though ironically, the police had one suspect in custody. A report from the JCF mentioned one suspect being apprehended but the residents of Gimme-Me-Bit, pressured the police into relea-sing this suspect.
To add to this, guns paid for by the taxpayers of Jamaica have gone missing from police stations. Can we then assume that the police have things under control and can stem crime in this country?
Jamaica deserves more than what she is getting for a police force, and it starts with the leaders of this country. In order for crime to be controlled in Jamaica, we need to have the people who have sworn to serve and protect, actually serve and protect, or else the words "serve" and "protect" are merely semantics.
I am, etc.,
TENSON G ROBINSON
skinsonrobinson@netscape.net
P O Box 28209 San Jose, CA
Via Go-Jamaica
