Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:14 hours 22 min ago
Plan after plan after crime plan: Endless faith in foreign experts
Published: 13 Sep 2009
In the long-running crime drama that is Trinidad and Tobago today, the story, so far, is that the bad guys have been able not only to pollute the good guys, but also to recruit them.
How else to explain the current sequence of episodes showing police officers trooping before the courts on criminal charges, or otherwise implicated in illegal possession of narcotics and arms? Citizens watching in astonishment and alarm could take comfort in apparent internal capacity to police and to purge the Police Service ranks. But the lesson of experience is that criminality tends to be always more extensive and deep-seated than the activity detected and exposed.
The stash of drugs and guns discovered in the ceiling of St Joseph Police Station may signal existence of a wider pattern of trafficking, in which police officers are identified as double-agent facilitators of crimes they are sworn to suppress.
This appears to confirm both the absence of resources adequate to meet the challenge of crime, and also the limits on the reliability of such resources already engaged and mobilised.
Public anxieties are hardly relieved by reports that police officers caught in, or suspected of serious illegalities, are liable, initially at least, only to be transferred.
Inside a supposedly disciplined organisation, a clear breakdown in discipline and order, entailing casual disregard of set procedure, explains some officers’ evident practice of keeping court-case exhibits in their personal possession.
Arrangements for recording, safe-keeping and tracking the whereabouts of such vital inputs into criminal justice appear to have been grievously compromised.
To the extent that this applies, trust in the police is eroded ever more deeply, and at least the management credibility of the officers in command inevitably called into question.
Such is the significance of the appeal publicly made to officers by acting Commissioner James Philbert, that they should return to central control court exhibits wrongfully stored at their homes.
That he should find it necessary to make this appeal is troubling; that he should be reduced to making conscience calls upon officers under his command is indicative of a wider disruption of order and of further disrepute to “governance” within the service.
In the face of all this, higher authorities have their work cut out. On September 7, the Finance Minister’s budget speech vowed (again) on behalf of the Government:
“We will strengthen our efforts to transform the organisational culture, operations, management systems and human resources of our protective services to enable the T&T Police Service to increase efficiency and effectiveness.”
Ms Tesheira avoided reference to much-advertised efforts over some four years, and involving US academic experts, to “transform” the Police Service.
Waging an epic, and so far losing, struggle against crime, her government continues to place reliance on plan, after plan, after plan.
In its latest turn to foreign-expert solutions, the government has embraced “in excess of 300 recommendations” by retired Canadian Major General Cameron H Ross.
Once again, a Ross Plan raises expectations for “transformation” of the police. And once again, government rhetoric cranks up to offer boundless faith, hope and prayer for happier outcomes than before.
“The message to the criminal is simple: you will be found and brought to justice, and you will feel the full brunt of the law,” said Ms Tesheira, rising to full height.
Now, T&T has to hope that this message is being effectively received, in the first instance, by those sworn to uphold and enforce the law.
... and the criminals are
... and the criminals are now quaking in their boots, afraid that they will now be "found and brought to justice" .... this is better than watching the Comedy Channel.
I had mentioned this before:
I had mentioned this before: Trinidad and Tobago is a small country with a population of approximate 2 million. I doubt i would be incorrect to say that the criminal portion of that 2 million would number about 5,000 to 10,000. If the law enforcement agencies can see fit to establish a criminal database (similar to what is done in pretty much every developed country) containing all relevant information on everyone ever arrested for a crime, I am confident that you will get much better results in bringing down the crime rate. The police will have access to information faster about patterns and similar methods of operations, they would know who the criminals are in any particular area, and who their associates are. There was an article in another local newspaper about the govt plan to work with Fujitsu: "...that Fujitsu, in collaborative efforts with TSTT and the Government, is working toward the construction of the first iteration of the Government Wide Area Network (GovNeTT). This $110 million contract was sealed last year.". I hope a criminal database is also on the agenda. It will allow not just the police but the prison systems as well as the courts quick access to a suspect criminal history.
This database would contain all the arrest and conviction information on everyone ever arrested or convicted in the entire country. Such information will include: name, aliases (nicknames), address as well as any previous known address, age, national id number, fingerprints, photographs, DNA, listing of any scars or other identifying marks on the body (tattoos, piercings, etc), family information, information on any gang affiliation, place of arrest, nature of prior crimes, conviction information, arresting officer, details on the sentencing (including presiding judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, names of persons arrested with the individual, prison where sentenced, parole office if applicable, etc)driver's license and passport records as well as information on any vehicles owned, any public medical information, information on education level, information on current and past employment, etc. This can help speed up trials too as it would allow for the check for prior convictions to be instantaneous.
Also, all law enforcement personnel (including the Coast Guard, Army and Customs, as well as any one authorized to enforced the law such as traffic wardens, etc) should be fingerprinted, photographed and have to supply their DNA as part of a routine procedure for employment. This information should also be centralized and accessible by the Police.
The media should be enlisted in helping to solve crimes by being providing with the names and photographs of suspects and other wanted individuals. I have noticed that the media in Trinidad is quick to name victims of crimes and to rush to the hospitals to take their pictures as they lie in their rooms (which to me is just unacceptable. Hospitals may be pubic buildings but dont patients, especially a crime victim, deserve some privacy? Courts are public buildings too and I dont see the media in there taking pictures willy-nilly because it is prevented. Anyways, I digress)yet the media is loathe to publish names and photos of suspects as they fear being sued. The media should be afforded protection from law suits if they were to name suspect after his identification as such by the police.
Here is where it gets dicey; why not issue new driver's licenses containing fingerprints? Some states in the US already do this. And, yes, it will be said that we are slowly stripping away privacy and freedom etc but i think the majority of law abiding citizens will not object to a little erosion of some liberties if it means less crime and more criminals behind bars.
Lastly,everyone released from prison should first be placed on parole where they can be supervised and monitored and their acclimation back into society facilitated. Help with job placement and access to educational and other type of training programs should be part of the parole process.
A rather simple but effective crime plan i would think.
Don S. NY
You mean bigwig that with
You mean bigwig that with all dem foreign expert crimefighters, that none of them tell CoP that the policemen should not have the evidence in his house? that the evidence has to be logged in, signed sealed and locked away like the FBI does? like in the Hill Street Blues TV series, you see any police taking the evidence to his attic?. The Chief said it was normal practice for the policeman to take care of the evidence. And why if so that if a criminal defence lawyer says he wants to run independent fingerprints tests or test if its cocaine or flour? Would the DPP say "hang on I will get the policeman to get it out of his attic for you?, wont be long he lives in Laventi"? Man I cant believe I am reading that this is really happening. And what does the law society say of this system and why does the judge not ask: where has the evidence been held? Ryan4Party can you find me a link on police systems on arresting charging and handling evidence?
Sorry Don, I missed the nuts
Sorry Don, I missed the nuts and bolts of your contribution, Those ideas are great, get to the heart of the matter once and for all. THats good I like it but will the powers follow these ideas, I doubt it.