News

Cops under probe over Kartel

AT LEAST THREE police departments are now under the microscope as police begin their investigations into how deejay Vybz Kartel acquired a firearm license.

Police personnel from the Narcotics Division, Special Branch and National Firearm and Drugs Intelligence Centre, will be thoroughly questioned over the next few weeks as senior detectives look into the controversy. Depending on where the investigations lead, action - whether departmental or criminal - may be taken against officers at these departments.

The three departments vet applications for firearm licenses and background checks on applicants conducted. The final decision, however, rests with the superintendent of police in charge of the Division in which the applicant lives.

Crime Chief, Deputy Commissioner Lucius Thomas, confirmed that the police investigations will be looking into the operations of the afore-mentioned departments but declined to comment on how far the investigations have progressed.

Star investigations, however, indicate that Kartel's firearm license was issued by the St. Andrew South police. It was also discovered that on the application, the deejay gave his address as Harwood Drive in Washington Gardens, St. Andrew.

It was also discovered that when Kartel was arrested last week in connection with the fracas at Sting, police were unaware that he was in possession of a firearm licence.

His firearm and two illegal rounds of ammunition, for which he has been charged, have since been seized by the police.

Recently there have been a number of transfers in the Officer core of the Police force. Superintendent. Claude Samuels was transferred from St. Andrew South to the Inspection Branch. Superintendent. Newton Amos is heading back to St. Andrew South and Senior Superintendent Leon Rose, has been assigned to the Community Relations Division from St. Andrew Central.

Rose will be replaced by Superintendent. Knight from Area Five, while Amos will be replaced by SSP Ferguson from Area One. Superintendent. Harry Daley will move from Kingston Western to the Inspection Branch and he will be replaced by Deputy Superintendent Gary Griffiths, who is the division's operations officer.