- NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Minister of National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips (left), speaks with Pete Gagliardi (second left), vice president of strategic planning and marketing, Forensic Technology, after the signing of a supply contract for the procurement of an Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS). The signing took place at the National Security Minister's Oxford Road office, St. Andrew, yesterday. Looking on are Claudio Valle (right), Canadian high commissioner to Jamaica, and Charles Scarlett, deputy commissioner of police.Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY signed a US$1.93 million (J$121M) contract to acquire an Integrated Ballistic Identification System (IBIS) to aid in the country's crime fighting drive.
The new ballistic apparatus, which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) currently uses in the United States, can link bullets and spent shells recovered from crime scenes with crimes committed in other places.
The IBIS replaces the defective Drugfire ballistic testing system the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) used up to several years ago.
The Canadian Government is to provide funding for the new ballistic system which will be sourced from Canadian firm, Forensic Technology.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, National Security Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips, said he expected the IBIS to become operational by the end of the year.
He added that the acquiring of the IBIS came when there was a need to "enhance the investigative and forensic capacities of the JCF in order for us to reverse the levels of violence and murders and shootings."
There have been more than 1,360 murders since the start of the year.
"The most effective means of providing a deterrence (to crime) is to ensure that those who are guilty are caught and punished," the national security minister stated before yesterday's signing at his Oxford Road, St. Andrew, office.
Dr. Phillips added that the IBIS along with other soon-to-be-acquired pieces of equipment, including an automated palm and fingerprint identification system, will significantly add to the country's crime-fighting capabilities.
MORE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
"This is a more advanced technology than the so-called Drugfire system in place at the Forensic Lab, and we think that this will bring us to the cutting edge, as far as forensic technology or ballistic testings are concerned," the minister said.
He noted that the IBIS usually takes three months to be implemented, but he said that he expected the system to be operational by December.
Speaking at the signing, Pete Gagliardi, vice-president of strategic planning and marketing at Forensic Technology, said crime-fighting depended on three critical elements: "people, processes, and technology".
He said the new IBIS would enable firearms examiners to provide more valuable information to detectives.
"The crime labs would be able to be more productive and effective; in turn the police and prosecutors would be able to solve more crimes and take more violent criminals out of our neighbourhoods," Mr. Gagliardi said.
He said policy makers could even feel comfortable that they've employed more proven and sustainable solutions to better protect the public.
"In the end, the objective is that society is a bit safer," Mr. Gagliardi said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Phillips said the board of the National Firearms Intelligence Bureau will be named next week. In July, Parliament passed the bill, an 'Act to Amend the Firearms Act 2005', establishing the firearms bureau that will grant and revoke gun licences, permits and certificates.
Dr. Phillips also announced that for the first time in the JCF's history, a deputy commissioner of police, in this case Charles Scarlett, would be in charge of managing the force's intelligence.
