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More forensic cops for St James
BY MARK CUMMINGS Observer West senior reporter cummingsm@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009
MONTEGO BAY, St James - With roughly 300 murders committed in the Area One division since the start of the year, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has accelerated the training of police officers as crime scene investigators in the region in a bid to boost its investigative capabilities.
Last week, 19 policemen from the Area One division - which encompasses the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland - began a four-month training course in forensics at the Freeport Station in Montego Bay, under the guidance of forensic consultant Hayden Baldwin and detective inspector Cecil Clarke.
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| Head of Serious and Organised Crime Assistant Commissioner Les Green (4th left) pose with (left to right) Superintendent Terrence Samcko, Technical Services Division; Deputy Superintendent Artey Colley; forensic consultant Hayden Baldwin; Detective Corporal Mark Gordon; Detective Corporal Clive Wright, and Detective Inspector Cecil Clarke at the end of the first week of training of a four-month crime scene investigators course being held at the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay. (Photo: Mark Cummings) |
At the end of the first week of training, head of Serious and Organised Crime Assistant Commissioner Les Green, expressed confidence that the JCF will have 300 forensic crime scene investigators by the end of 2011.
"Just over three and a half years ago we had about 50 scene-of-crime investigators, but we have now increased that amount to about 130 operating across the island; and over the next two years the amount will be increased to 300," Green told reporters.
The ongoing training programme forms part of Government's efforts to modernise the JCF.
Green noted that over the past two years, the JCF has made significant gains as it moves towards establishing "a first-world standard around forensics".
Meanwhile, Green said one of the seven mobile forensic units which the JCF plans to roll out within the next 10 weeks will be stationed in Area One.
The units, he noted, will enable speedier collection of samples at crime scenes.
"These units will be able to travel to crime scenes and carry a lot more equipment and be able to assist the officers to conduct far more forensic examinations," said Green.
Five of the vehicles, which cost roughly US$85,000 each, will be paid for by the British Government, which has been working closely with Jamaica to modernise the constabulary.
The other two units will be paid for by the Jamaican Government.
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