BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS more officers of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force continue to be trained in investigation techniques, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security Osmond Petty is calling on them to produce higher results in crime detection.
Petty made the call last Friday (Feb. 12) at a graduation ceremony for 16 officers who had successfully completed a two-week Investigative Interview Course that was facilitated by the Bramshill Policing Advisors.
In delivering the keynote address at the ceremony which was held at the Police Training Complex in Basseterre, PS Petty told the gathering that he had keenly observed the files of many officers in the Force and found that they had received training in proper investigation techniques.
He however pointed out that in spite of such training the nation continues to see a low solvability rate of crimes committed in the Federation over the last several years.
“I, over the last couple of years, have had the opportunity to look through files of senior police officers, gazetted officers and so on, and I have seen in those files a lot of investigators training. I keep wondering if we have such quality-trained officer, why it is that our solvency rate is so low.”
He stated that while some people might argue that the Police Force does not have resources of the highest quality to produce the required results, the law enforcement body is on that track but there are limitations affecting its success, including witnesses who are not forthcoming.
Despite the limitations, Petty said the recent training courses organised by the Government of National Unity have provided investigators with the knowledge and ability to make a difference and he challenged them produce results.
“Sixteen of you now join that group because your file will have something that says that you did an Investigators Interviewing Course. So I would want to challenge you at this point to make a difference, because we have to turn around this low solvency rate.”
Referring to the Six-Point Plan, the PS said the Police Force should look to reach the minimum rate of solvency in its crime fighting strategy.”
“Increase the solvency rate of homicides and violent crimes by at least 15 percent. At least means at its minimum,” Petty stressed.
Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley commended the officers on their success while also making reference to the solvability rate.
He declared that one of the difficulties the Force is encountering is the low detection rate; an area which he said would soon be rectified.
“I therefore believe that the operations and our investigations will be more successful with improved interviewing techniques that you would have learnt.”
He told the officers that the course they had completed and others earmarked for the future are part of the Force’s new crime fighting initiatives.
“These plans and others will guide the transformation of our police service into the future. They will be the road map to a police service that will contribute to increased citizen safety and the reduction of the fear of crime in our communities for our citizens.”
He pointed that in order for the execution of those initiatives to be effective, officers who are tasked with delivering the service must be properly trained and equipped.
“Therefore, no matter how great the plan, if the team is not prepared or sufficiently trained, the results will be hampered. And so your class, like the several classes in last year, 2015, are a part of the new direction for our police service, where we invest in the training of our people, to ensure the delivery of outstanding service,” Queeley added.
Bramshill Advisor and Course facilitator John Bailey said that the two-week intensive course was geared towards giving the officers practical tips for carrying out proper interviewing of witnesses and criminal, similar to what is carried out in the United Kingdom.
“The first week was specifically around interviewing witnesses and we shared what is called the Piece Model and Four Phases for witness interviewing, which is a cognitive interview using cognitive techniques to enhance memory recall to facilitate the best witness evidence we can get.”
