National Integrity Action Head Welcomes Increased Use Of ‘Crime Stop’

Executive Director of National Integrity Action (NIA), Professor Trevor Munroe, has welcomed increased utilisation of the Crime Stop programme by civic-minded Jamaicans as part of overall efforts to reduce illegal activities and bring the perpetrators to justice.

He said total calls to Crime Stop for the first nine months of 2016/17 averaged 100 per month, noting that this doubled for the corresponding period in 2018/2019.

Professor Munroe contended that “this means that our people have become more willing to speak, due to the protection of their identity”, adding that this has resulted in an increase in the number of arrests made and guns seized.

“So many of our people are afraid, for good reasons, to speak up and speak out against illegal activities. Crime Stop enhances the possibility of citizens working anonymously with the police, and I want to congratulate the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Crime Stop and those citizens who are calling in to report what they know,” the NIA Head stated.

He was speaking during a recent Justices of the Peace sensitisation session in Kingston.

Meanwhile, Professor Munroe advised that rewards totalling $7.8 million were paid out between January and November 2019.

This, he pointed out, represents an increase of approximately 50 per cent, relative to the corresponding period the previous year.

Crime Stop is a partnership between the community, the police and the media that is designed to engage the public in the fight against crime.

The initiative encourages well-thinking persons to give information by offering total anonymity to all callers and, for those so desirous, a cash reward for tips leading to arrests, recovery of stolen property or seizure of illegal drugs or guns.

The programme is spearheaded by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and financed by the National Crime Prevention Fund.