There
are shows on cable TV that feature scientific crime investigation in the United
States. American forensic experts can lift fingerprints even from the skin of a
corpse. Because of the experts are sophisticated forensic skills and
technology, even walls and floors from which bloodstains have been washed off
can lead to the conviction of the killer.
You
watch these shows and wonder if The Gambia law enforcement agencies will ever
achieve the same degree of sophistication in criminal investigation. If our
lawmen relied more on science and technology rather than testimonies and third
degree, our streets would be safer. No need for cops to present a gaggle of
witnesses, some of whom later retract their statements and thus muddle up a
criminal case.
Unfortunately,
law enforcement officers are often more preoccupied with co-zying up to people
who can endorse their promotion or assignment to a juicy post rather than
improving their methods of criminal investigation. A number of Gambian law
enforcers have been trained in scientific criminal investigation abroad. Do
they get assigned to positions where they can practice what they learned?
Priorities are askew; instead of buying cutting-edge crime laboratory
equipment, we buy them big cars.
For
a while we had the impression that at least our lawmen weren’t too far behind
in investigating disappearances. But the observation by the United Nations
Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances makes us wonder.
Not
surprising, therefore, it is taking our investigators an eternity to even
identify the bodies exhumed and to press criminal charges against the
suspects.
The
nation cannot and should not rely forever on foreign assistance in
investigating or cracking a criminal case.
Given
the peace and order problems besetting the nation, the government should
consider making a substantial investment in improving methods of criminal
investigation.
This
will require not just the acquisition of state-of-the-art crime laboratory
equipment but also a thorough grounding of law enforcers in the ways of modern
criminal investigation.
However,
as recommended by the UN Working Group, “there is a critical and urgent need”
to improve the forensic capacity and technical means of our investigators and
the government needs technical cooperation and assistance in this respect.
“Nothing
matters but the facts. Without them, the science of criminal investigation is
nothing more than a guessing game.”
Blake
Edwards
