Police say phone intercepts won’t violate privacy rights

With some guns now destroyed, local authorities are looking at a patent from regional legislations to use phone intercepts to help curb planned and organized crime. When Commissioner of Police, Gerald Westby, held a news conference earlier this week, he expounded on just how they intend to use this new option without violating people’s right to privacy.

Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“It will be an entire new law. It is already under the Terrorist and Money Laundering Act. There is authority for intercepts but we are looking at a more comprehensive legislation that will have safeguards. In other words, before you can intercept—go up on somebody’s line, you must secure a warrant from a Supreme Court Judge so there will be safeguards. It’s not like the police will be out there looking at Marion’s cell phone number or different people, intercept Mr. Twist’s conversation. But it will be targeted at well-known drug barons in particular and it will be done with check and balance that it must secure an order from the Supreme Court so that there will be safeguards. But it’s a comprehensive legislation patterned from Jamaica and the other regional legislations.”

This new measure will take effect after it gets the nod from the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, the Police Department will also very soon have enhanced ballistics testing capabilities. This follows the acquisition of a comparative microscope worth quarter million dollars, which should be in Belize by the end of the month.