DNA the key
Published:Friday | August 20, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Nadisha Hunter, Gleaner Writer
Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields has admonished the Government for dragging its feet on proposed DNA legislation to take the fight to criminals.
The outspoken British ex-policeman was also caustic in his criticism of what he characterised as the Government's "quick-fix" policies to address the crime problem.
Shields, who ended his stint in the Jamaica Constabulary Force last year, suggested that the solution to arrest crime lies in the enactment of DNA legislation and the establishment of police posts in vulnerable areas across the island.
Addressing a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston yesterday, he asserted that a structured DNA system and additional police posts would strengthen the investigation of criminal offences.
Long process
"I am told that the (DNA) legislation is in the pipeline but I cannot see why it is taking so long," Shields declared.
"We spent between $15 and $20 million on the forensic laboratory. Everything is there except the legislation. We have particularly rushed through the crime bills. Why can't we rush through the DNA legislation?" he queried.
Shields said the Government's current crime-fighting strategies would not yield significant reductions.
He argued that the state of emergency and the six crime bills are only plaster over the cracks of the acute social problems the country faces.
"One could argue that the 60 days, no bail is a quick fix. What would they actually achieve, that's an open question," he said.
"Some people were trying to get the state of emergency extended. Well, I could say that many young men, some of whom were innocent, were being locked up for extended periods."
Shields said many persons have had their photographs and fingerprints taken only to be kicked back out on to the streets.
He charged that the country needed to find macro solutions to address the problem.
"We have to focus on the areas where the people are most poor, where there are literally thousands of young men, particularly who got no prospective jobs, they have no education, they can't read and write and their own solution sometimes is the guns, the corner or the gangs," Shields declared.
"That has to be changed, and until we get to those problems, we will not solve the monster of crime," said the retired policeman, who was in 2005 seconded to the Jamaica Constabulary Force from Scotland Yard .
Shields lashed out against the call for persons who are involved in the brutal killings to be killed, saying that it was not the solution to the problem.
"I am very concerned that every time that another poor and unfortunate, normally innocent person, is murdered by the criminals, there is an immediate cry that we should go out there and we should take revenge," he said.
"We tried that before and it didn't work and there is absolutely no way it is going to work in the future," he added.
Better solution
He said that though the justice system might be slow and sometimes does not work, it should not be abandoned in dealing with criminals, as it is a better solution than murder.
Despite his criticisms, Shields stressed that he was was not bashing the policies by the Government and that he believed it was trying but failed to implement the fundamental measures that could stem crime in the country.
Yesterday afternoon, Superinten-dent James Forbes, of the Community Safety Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said Shields was a private citizen who had a right to express his opinion.
Forbes argued, however, that the Government's strategies were tools requested by the police force to carry out its fight against crime.
He said the measures were far-reaching and would reap long-lasting benefits.