Police Dept. will use technology to combat crime

Marleni Cuellar reporting: Earlier in the newscast we reported on the brevity of the controversial Crooks Report and at today’s conference at the Raccoon Street Police Station, police told the press that the department is turning to a new strategy to combat the alarming levels of crime. And this involves the use of technology that will balance expertise and technical know-how on a limited budget. News Five’s Jose Sanchez tried to find out how this technology will bring results to the fight against crime.

Jose Sanchez: “There is a general feeling that because we have a problem with witnesses testifying, perhaps maybe the police needs to shift more to forensics. Will we ever have a fully operational forensics lab that we can depend upon?”

Carlos Perdomo, Minister of National Security: “I think we will. This is one of our programs that is slowly developing. If you look back three of four years ago there was hardly anything. But setting up a really first class forensic lab is extremely expensive. For example, to get into DNA you’re talking about one million Belize. So we do have a time line. This year we’re going to get the ballistic machine, next year we look at it—it’s a program that is slowly progressing.”

Assistant commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries said that old fashion police work has made them able to pinpoint the areas of Belize City which are hot spots for criminal activity.

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Source: Channel 5 News