Latest update May 7th, 2024 12:59 AM
Apr 28, 2016 News
It’s a case of damned if you do, and damned if you don’t! The recent successes by the Guyana Police Force in
solving a number of high profile crimes are being viewed with some skepticism and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum is not amused.
The head of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Guyana Police Force finds it interesting that persons are questioning the ability of the police to secure confessions from criminal suspects.
Within the past year or so the police have been announcing a high rate of confessions by suspects held for high profile murders, mainly murder.
One letter writer, while not trying to undermine or negate the police work, confessed his “growing astonishment if not unease with some rather startling developments involving murder investigations.”
While lauding the toil and dedication of the police, the letter writer stated that he is “perplexed at this spate of confessions that either have been extracted or volunteered.”
But in response, Crime Chief Blanhum said that over the years, confessions to crimes that were obtained by investigators have withstood the scrutiny of the courts.
“it’s not only the Guyana Police Force that obtains confessions from suspects; police all over the world are happy to get confessions,” Blanhum told this newspaper.
He explained that the high rate of crime solving (through confessions) is a result of very intense interviewing of suspects in custody.
There are times when the police have had to apply to the court to obtain permission to keep suspects in custody beyond statutory 72 hours period, which according to Blanhum enables detectives to rigorously confront the suspects with evidence obtained during investigations.
“When we have a suspect in custody, I always advise that we interview them intensely. In most cases they crack and confess,” the Crime Chief said.
He said this style of investigation was harnessed from increased training both local and overseas of Criminal Investigations Department operatives throughout the country.
According to Blanhum, within the past year or so, a lot of emphasis has been placed on capacity building and training in keeping with President Granger’s five-point plan.
He pointed out that over the previous years, there was a gap in terms of interviewing techniques, which has now been rectified.
The Crime Chief said that ranks from all the police divisions have been exposed to training from the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).
As much as 120 persons received training in areas of Crime Scene Investigations and Criminal Investigations among other crime solving procedures.
“It’s very appalling that persons are criticizing us for not solving crimes and others are questioning the way we are solving them,” Crime Chief Blanhum said.
GRA catch EXXON trying to hunch GUYANA over 11 BUS dollars in one shot!!!!
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