Young: Attorneys to work with investigators

NATIONAL Security Minister Stuart Young said a new service was being implemented where attorneys would be specially working with police investigators.

He was speaking Tuesday at the sod-turning ceremony for the new Carenage Police Station, Western Main Road.

He reported on Monday night he met with Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard on discussions at the National Operations Fusion Centre on how to have more successful investigations, which means laying the right charges against perpetrators after having gathered evidence and to successfully take the matters through the court.

Young pointed out in the UK there was the criminal prosecution service where lawyers worked alongside law enforcement "from the word go." He said in the US there were district attorneys and attorneys tasked to work with law enforcement from the federal and state level from the start.

"This is something we have been discussing for a while at law enforcement. So when we go into a crime scene or into an operation it will happen in tiers: the operators go in, clear the things, detained who needs to be detained; the CSI will then move in as well as the investigators. What I have begun discussing with (the DPP) and I can say to the citizens of TT the DPP has undertaken and given the assurance his office, under his charge, will assist us with this. And they are ready to come on board and partner."

Young explained, with that arrangement, when investigators went into crime scenes and investigations a lawyer from the DPP's office would be working with officers from the start and assisting in the gathering of evidence and the direction the investigations need to take.

"This simple step is going to be an effective tool in the successful prosecution of criminal activity in TT."

He thanked the Commissioner of Police and the DPP for agreeing to the initiative.