By L.K. Hewlett
St. Kitts Reporter
Head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Superintendent Joseph Richardson is defending his performance in the face of harsh criticisms about the high number of unsolved murders in the federation.
During a press conference on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 the issue of unsolved crimes arose and the major part of the blame was laid at Richardson’s feet. Prime Minister Hon. Denzil Douglas defended the veteran policeman and his ability to act as assistant commissioner and head CID.
“I don’t think that it is fair for us to say that because there are unsolved crimes that the head of the department is inefficient, incapable and is to be blamed. I really do not support that at all. I said earlier that fighting crime depends on all of us. An officer of himself cannot be successful in detecting, fighting and solving crime unless he has the collaboration and support of not only people but also of equipment etc.” Douglas responded.
Richardson spoke to The Observer on Wednesday, saying he would not dignify the person who launched the verbal attack on his professionalism with a response, since the individual, he said, clearly had something personal against him.
“As far as I know, I have nothing personally with the individual, I had to deal with him on one occasion and I find from that he is always attacking me. He seems to have something against me personally. Some of the murders happened when I wasn’t even head of CID, I had duty as acting assistant commissioner for some time so I wasn’t really directly responsible for investigations,” he said.
Richardson said that crime solving needed a holistic approach and without evidence, police could not arrest people based on suspicion or allegation.
“Even though we may have unconfirmed knowledge as to who the persons responsible for these crimes are, you can’t arrest people unless you have evidence. If the citizens of the country are afraid or do not want to come forward for whatever reason, we cant force them to do so. Police cannot operate in a vacuum, we cannot solve crime unless we get the necessary information to do that,” he said, adding that he was above this personal attack on his credibility.
Douglas also spoke to community involvement in the fight against crime saying that the police are as effective in the fight against crime as is the support it receives from the community.
“The Police must have the collaboration and cooperation of the people. Let me say to those that are law abiding citizens, and who want to be enlisted in the fight against crime, in bringing information to the police, that is not ratting, it is doing your civic duty. It is part of what your responsibility is as a citizen in ensuring that the environment in which you live is one that is conducive to your own personal and the collective development of our people. I believe there are challenges that we will face in this regard. There is no organization that is perfect but what we will never do
