Joseph laments ‘bloody’ March

He was speaking in the Senate yesterday on a motion on crime. He said Government found the homicide level, especially for the month of March, to be “unacceptable” and assured they would be taking measures to ensure no repeat.

Joseph stressed Government was focusing on the two main causes of the high homicide rate — drugs and gangs. He said at this stage, Government could not place as much emphasis on domestic-related murders since, at this point, these types of murders were harder to predict.

“I don’t know if someone will go home tonight and take a certain course of action,” he said, adding that community policing had been successful in overseas jurisdictions in bringing some measure of control to this kind of homicide.

Among new initiatives taken to deal with crime, Joseph said, were the establishment of a Cold Case Squad and the establishment of a temporary DNA facility. He also said the next bill for Parliament debate would be the DNA Amendment Bill. He said the Ministry of National Security will collaborate with the UK-based Forensic Science Services to bring the necessary training, with special attention to firearm examination and DNA testing.

Joseph said he was concerned about the low detection rate and cited as important causes for this being witness intimidation and the killing of witnesses.

Joseph said the incarceration of a certain gang leader was expected to bring a “breath of fresh air” to the community which he once controlled, freeing up the information gathering process.

“We are going after the guns and we will deal with the homicides.”

Asked about the success of the blimp, Joseph said in the interest of national security he could not say specifically what contribution it had made to fighting crime.

He said Government had increased the strength of the Homicide Bureau from 48 to 150 officers over the period of his tenure. The police commissioner had established a legal unit to use police officers already trained in law as police prosecutors, Joseph said.

He also vigorously defended the expenditure involved in bringing the UK officers.