Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin
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Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin
Former Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin is in support of a gun amnesty to accompany the new Firearms Act.
The government signalled that a gun amnesty will be declared when the new Firearms Act is signed into law.
It will allow people in possession of illegal firearms the opportunity to turn in the weapons to the State, without fear of prosecution.
Rear Admiral Lewin said the move is necessary to facilitate voluntary surrender of guns. He added that pairing the gun amnesty with the new Firearms Act is important because it will allow "some form of deterrence coming in with the voluntary turning in of guns".
The former police commissioner said he expects "a serious ramping up of police operations" in furtherance of the Get the Guns campaign, which National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang said will also accompany the amnesty.
Rear Admiral Lewin said any initiative to reduce the number of illegal guns in Jamaica should be encouraged and not greeted with cynicism.
"If we get 100 guns, that's fine. It's part and parcel of a wider initiative. We still have Crime Stop, as far as I'm aware - reporting, turning in guns, and getting those rewards," he noted.
However, he admitted that many criminals with illegal guns may not freely turn them over, which is why he expects a bolstering of police operations.
Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin was speaking Thursday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.
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