“Pele Police” have netted 6,000 offenders says police chief

(newsroompanama.com) The hand held mini computers used by police to access a data base listing unpaid fines, and criminal records have netted murderers, drug dealers, rapists, gangsters, and common criminals says Panama police chief Gustavo Perez.

Defending the use of “Pele Police” he argued Tuesday (November 16), that it is a technological tool employed to "enforce the law."

Pérez said that the operational use of such electronic devices will continue, and recommended that citizens and residents who have prior offenses, to check with the force to verify whether or not they are in the database.

In October, it was reported that an estimated 600,000 people had been verified through the system, and  6,000 offenders were rounded up to face pending court cases.

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Original Source: Newsroompanama.com

Date Retrieved: November 17, 2010.