OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

The police High Command has rolled out the Visual Identification Unit (VIU) and Electronic Facial Identification Technique (E-FIT) software in St Ann.

Five officers in the parish have already received advanced training in the use of the equipment which allows the police to draw impressions of suspects based on descriptions given by victims or eyewitnesses.

Already, through the use of the VIU, the police have been able to nab suspects in two recent crimes.

In handing over the equipment to the St Ann police last Friday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green argued that it would make solving crime a little easier.

Case in point

"For instance, in the John Terry matter, we released the E-FIT in relation to that to the public and we have made some arrests as a result," Green said.

"In relation to a rape in Ocho Rios, there were two suspects identified. Witnesses gave the officers descriptions and they compiled two E-FIT impressions of the suspect; we didn't go public at the time, it was given to the officers locally and the suspects were identified and arrested and are now charged before the court," Green added.

According to Green, while the system will greatly assist the police, the force needs the media to publish impressions of suspects when they are issued.

Jamaica will have five fixed and one mobile VIU sites across the island. Apart from St Ann, Kingston, St Catherine and Manchester are equipped with the system with St James set to to join the list.

'In the John Terry matter, we released the E-FIT ... to the public and we have made some arrests.'