THE EDITOR, Sir:
Officials at Crime Stop Jamaica (CSJ) are lamenting the fact that trust issues among Jamaicans are limiting the success of their operations. They state that 723 calls have been received since this year with only a one-in-six success rate.
Permit me to explain to them that there are very good reasons for the trust issues. Let me give them one. Every well-organised gang in Jamaica has at least one policeman in its membership.
It is, therefore, quite worrying to hear CSJ’s manager stating that the people giving the information ‘won’t come in’. Why should they? Unless they have a death wish. May I suggest that they add a little creativity to the information they get for the results they are seeking?
In 1987, Darlene Kraschoe, a 20-year-old Fort Collins soldier, was found brutally murdered. A thorough investigation was carried out. This included DNA tests. But there were no leads and the crime went unsolved.
Thirty-two years later, police got a call with a tip giving the name of the killer. They did not tell the caller to ‘come in’. Their creative juices started working. The alleged killer was followed for weeks until one day he went into a restaurant for lunch. Unbeknown to him, they were there waiting. As he left, they took the cup from which he was drinking, tested the saliva on the rim. After 32 years, they had a match. Case solved.
Is any of this beyond the competence of our local police? For decades we have been getting the same excuses.
Decades ago, after a particularly contentious meeting, Herb McKenley scolded me for my behaviour and said, “… You ever see me angry? Anytime I see a wall, mi no try go through it, mi go ‘roun it … .”
Try some new ideas nuh guys?
GLENN TUCKER
glenntucker2011@gmail.com