M A J - G E N O N A

Even if police arrest people, it creates gaps impacting the admissibility of evidence due to crime scene handling protocols.

“T h a n k s , C o m m i s s i o n e r s . I a m a w a r e n o w. A n d t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s i s t h a t e v e n i f y o u a r r e s t p e o p l e , t h a t t h i n g w i l l c r e a t e g a p s i n e n s u r i n g t h e a d m i s s i b i l i t y o f t h e e v i d e n c e . H a n d l i n g t h e c r i m e s c e n e i s a d e l i c a t e t h i n g . We c a l l i t a h o l y p l a c e . A n d t h e p e r s o n i n c h a r g e o f t h e c r i m e s c e n e , i r r e s p e c t i v e o f r a n k , e v e n i f I g o t o a c r i m e s c e n e , C o m m i s s i o n e r s , a s a G e n e r a l , a n d a C o n s t a b l e i s10 e n t r y l e v e l , i s i n c h a r g e o f t h e c r i m e s c e n e , t h a t p e r s o n i s i n c h a r g e .”

Police protocols require that the person in charge of the crime scene, regardless of rank, must be obeyed, and failure to follow protocol by members must result in consequence management.

“the person in charge of the crime scene , irrespective of rank , even if I go to a crime scene , Commissioners , as a General , and a Constable is entry level , is in charge of the crime scene , that person is in charge . I w i l l g i v e y o u a n e x a m p l e . A l o t o f c r i m e s c e n e s , y o u w i l l s e e t h e M i n i s t e r o f P o l i c e , t h e N a t i o n a l C o m m i s s i o n e r, t h e N a t i o n a l H e a d , t h e y g o t o t h e c r i m e s c e n e s . Th e i r s o l e p u r p o s e o f g o i n g t h e r e i s t o g e t f a c t s a n d c o n g r a t u l a t e t h e m e m b e r s f o r t h e i r g o o d w o r k . A n d t h e y e x p e c t t h a t t h o s e p r o t o c o l s m u s t b e f o l l o w e d . T h e s a m e a p p l i e s t o m e . B u t I c a n t e l l y o u t h a t i f t h e m e m b e r s h a v e20 c o n f e s s e d o r m a d e a d m i s s i o n s t h a t t h e y d i d n o t f o l l o w t h e p r o t o c o l , c o n s e q u e n c e m a n a g e m e n t n e e d s t o a p p l y .”