Commissioner calls for better cooperation
In accepting the computers, Police Commissioner Carmen Zetina said the donation, which will be used as part of a project to fully computerize the police department, is evidence that the community-police relationship is deepening. But in an interview with News 5 after the ceremony, Zetina said that there is much more that the community can do to assist the police in solving crimes.
Carmen Zetina, Commissioner of Police
?You mention crime wave. I would just say that it?s the matter of the high profile crimes that we?re seeing now-a-days, of persons being shot at, killed for that matter. And it?s a matter of what we have seen from the investigations where in almost–I say almost because the stabbing incident, you cannot consider that as part of it. But in those cases where shooting was involved, is actually persons retaliating, you know it’s an old beef. And persons that are settling accounts now-a-days as far as we can see. And you know, and everybody knows, it’s somewhat drug connected.?
Patrick Jones
?Can you blame the community for being somewhat numb from all these killings??
Carmen Zetina
?Well I wouldn’t say numb. I don’t think the community as such is participating with the police. Actually, in any criminal investigation, noh mek no ghost fool you that police cannot solve all crimes. But it can solve most of the crimes if the people, the community, would participate by giving us information, because somebody knows something. For example you take the stabbing incident; we are solving that crime because people are talking now after two days.?
Patrick Jones
?So you are saying that the community is not participating with the police??
Carmen Zetina
?No, they are not, not the way we would like to. Maybe because of a certain degree of fear, but I assure the public that once they start to participate with us, the police and community joining forces against the criminal elements, I think we can get over it, we can win the war against crime.?
Patrick Jones
?But can you win that war all by yourself, do you need help? Can you call for help??
Carmen Zetina
?Well the only help that I would like to have is like I was saying is the community coming on board and helping us solve these crimes. It?s not a matter of getting more police officers, the community is very essential in this fight against crime and violence.?
Zetina says the computerization project should be completed late this year or early in 2005. One of the new computers will be sent to Corozal and the others will be pressed into service at Eastern Division.
