Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith is making moves to ensure the police service has its own Forensics Science Department to “treat with matters of crime scene investigation” in an expeditious manner.
In a statement issued to the media yesterday, Commissioner Griffith said he noted the media release by Fixing T&T calling for priority to be placed on ballistic testing.
The Commissioner said he “agrees that there is an undue delay in the process for results from the Forensic Science Centre (FSC). “
He explained that while in some countries the results take six days, in Trinidad and Tobago, the results may take six years.
The Commissioner of Police said he is not blaming those who work at the FSC since he said: “it is simply overwhelmed.”
The CoP said that he has contacted the FSC and has asked for these matters to be prioritized and was given an assurance that they would be.
However, he said it is time for the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to have its own Forensic Science Department and to this end Griffith said
he is in “the process of trying to acquire this, so that the TTPS can treat with the matters of Crime Scene Investigation; which will include forensic testing for live rounds being fired and DNA testing.”
Griffith said this move would take some of the burden off the FSC.
But the Commissioner assured that matters relating to police shootings will be dealt with by the Forensic Science Centre and not the TTPS.
