St Elizabeth residents urged to use public Wi-Fi to report criminal activities
HEAD OF the St Elizabeth Police Division, Superintendent Dwight Daley, has called on residents in the parish to use the free public Wi-Fi hotspot to share information on paedophiles, and those involved in lottery scamming activities, via social media channels.
Acknowledging that the Internet has caused the world to become a small place, Daley noted that it can also be very dangerous if used in a deceptive manner, albeit being a very good and necessary tool.
He said the Jamaica Constabulary Force is present on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram in the social media space, and urged residents across the ‘breadbasket’ parish to report suspicious activities via those channels.
“Use social media to tell us about the criminals. Tell us about the lottery scammers, tell us about the gunmen. Tell us about the paedophiles and the persons who are undesirables in the communities,” said Daley.
“If you are in the town and you see something suspicious going on, take a photograph, upload it, and send it to us. When we come, we know exactly who we are coming for, and nobody will know it’s you,” he advised.
Daley was speaking on May 6 at the official launch of the Junction Public Access Wi-Fi hotspot by the Universal Service Fund, in partnership with Cable and Wireless Business, which invested $10 million. Outside of Junction, residents who work and commute in the parish capital, Black River, also have access to a public Wi-Fi hotspot.
The St Elizabeth police chief used the opportunity to advise members of the general public to safeguard against sharing their personal information and passwords, names of pets and date of birth, so as not to have their identities stolen or be left emptyhanded, saying that persons with criminal motives could deplete their finances and other valuable possessions.
SAFEGUARDING PERSONAL INFO
The senior policeman referred to an incident that occurred last week, where a woman visited the Black River Police Station in tears after she was relieved of her finances. Daley said this happened after the woman provided critical information to someone she assumed to be working at the bank where her savings were being kept.
“The entire bank account was wiped clean,” Daley said, as he chronicled the woman’s experience. “These are the things you have to bear in mind when you engage on the Internet.”
He said the men and women under his command stand ready to protect the Wi-Fi hotspot equipment and the residents who will be logging on and surfing the Internet.