A Jamaican specialist police officer came to Port of Spain to share his expertise with the T&T counterparts in forensic ballistics analysis.

Sgt Miguel Bernard is the creator of the software developed to track firearms which, in 2017 was able to help the cops to track five guns, apparently rented by its owners,  that were used to commit more than 50 murders across  Jamaica.

Bernard is a ballistics forensic expert at the Jamaican Constabulary Force and Head of the Firearms and Toolmarks Examination Department at the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine in Jamaica.

Discussions in Port of Spain on Monday “centred on the development and implementation of a ballistics software framework to be used in the fight against the use of illicit small arms and light weapons in gang activity and firearm-related crimes”, according to the Ministry of National Security.

The meeting was facilitated by the British High Commission in Port of Spain. National Security Minister Stuart Young who attended the meeting promised the government will be strengthening the agencies that fight crime.

The Jamaicans are using their homegrown technology to enhance intelligence gathering.

They have also adjusted their legislation to become less punitive in order to get information so that persons who get caught with guns and offer information to the police will not get their bail blocked.