The Editor, Sir:

Here are some sensible steps to fighting crime in Jamaica. While the professionals from the United Kingdom are more than qualified in his field, I believe that their experiences are different from that which is needed to combat Jamaica's crime problem.

Jamaica needs professionals such as those from the NYPD, for example. New York is generally considered the safest big city in the United States. To be fair, there are probably more illegal weapons in New York City than in all of Jamaica, yet it has far less gun violence than Jamaica. Why is that?

Here is my solution to curbing the rampant crime rate that is being experienced by Jamaica, a place that I love and have visited often.

Never been harassed

Let me also say that in all my travels to Jamaica I have never been harassed in any form. Jamaica is as safe as any other place that I have been to in my travels.

My suggestions are as follows:

Hire professionals from cities on par with Jamaica's crime rate.

Pass laws with mandatory minimums for possession of illegal weapons.

Do away with the provisions for fines.

Take the fingerprint of all those arrested for crimes, felonies and otherwise.

All police personnel should be allowed to carry a firearm both on and off duty.

Make every officer accountable for those arrested.

Each officer should be able to make contact with central command instantly.

Have a log every time someone is stopped, questioned, searched, etc.

I am, etc.,

A. ATKINS

andygirlbry@aol.com

Brooklyn, NY

Via Go-Jamaica