JCF ADOPTS SelectaDNA TECHNOLOGY TO HELP FIGHT CRIME DIGICEL DONATES $1M IN SelectaDNA OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT TO JCF

 Crime fighting in Jamaica is set to receive a substantial boost with the introduction of SelectaDNA technology.SelectaDNA consists of a range of solutions containing a unique synthetic DNA code which can be used to individually mark and trace items of property as well as identify those responsible for crime.

Products and services under the SelectaDNA brand are manufactured bySelectaMark Security Systems - a public limited company registered in the United Kingdom. It delivers innovative crime and theft reduction solutions to a whole range of industries including government, police, education, health, transport, the private sector as well as for domestic use and private individuals.

SHIELDS Crime & Security has been working with SelectaMark Security Systemsto establish this DNA Forensic Property Marking System in Jamaica. The system was launched formally on Tuesday January 22 at the Commissioner’s Office in Kingston. According to Head of SHIELDS Crime & Security, Mark Shields “SelectaDNA will deter criminals from stealing and in the event property is stolen, allow the JCF to identify the owner of the property.” Shields added that the introduction of SelectaDNA to Jamaica “will create an innovative crime prevention strategy that if you steal, the chances of being caught would have significantly increased.”

As part of the event, telecommunications company Digicel has moved swiftly to donate J$1,000,000 in SelectaDNA operational equipment to the Jamaica Constabulary Force. “Security is a huge concern for Jamaicans in general and for us at Digicel, and so when we learnt about SelectaDNA, a system that marries technology with crime fighting, we embraced the opportunity to get involved,” said Donovan Betancourt, Head of Facilities Management and Technical Operations at Digicel.

Andrew Knights, Managing Director of SelectaMark who is in the island for this important handover, noted “I am delighted that Digicel has sponsored the detection kits for use by the JCF to allow them to roll out the SelectaDNA crime reduction initiative”.

The equipment consists of ultra violet hand-held flash lights and microscopes. It will be deployed across the island to be used by the men and women patrolling the streets, giving them the ability to identify property that has been marked withSelectaDNA. In countries where DNA Forensic Property Marking has been established, property crime has been reduced by as much as 85%. 

The Commissioner of Police has endorsed this product and will utilise it as part of the JCF’s strategy to reduce crime and increase the opportunity to identify and convict offenders. Minister of National Security Peter Bunting, other senior members of government, security experts and senior officials in the public and private sector will participate in the launch tomorrow.