The Police Complaints Authority is yet to confirm whether casings found at a recent crime scene do in fact bear TTPS markings. However PCA Director David West tells TV6, the Authority recently sent correspondence to the TTPS as it pertains to other cases, which are yet to be resolved. Rynessa Cutting has more.
00:00The TDPS is yet to respond to reports that seven spent shells bearing TDPS markings were recovered at a crime scene in La Romaine, in which a missing couple is fared dead.
00:12Meantime, the Police Complaints Authority says it awaits word from the TDPS on that matter and several others.
00:19The authority notes for the year thus far, TDPS bullets have been recovered at two other crime scenes.
00:26On June 6, three spent shells marked TDPS were recovered from a Petit Valley crime scene,
00:32while on June 2, two spent 9mm shells with TDPS markings were found at the scene of a murder in Edinburgh 500.
00:42At this stage, the Police Complaints Authority cannot confirm whether there were TDPS spent shells found at the La Romaine crime scene.
00:53However, the PCA has since June of this year sent correspondence to the Commissioner of Police regarding the alleged discovery of TDPS spent shells at crime scenes
01:06and continues to liaise with the Commissioner's office relative to this issue.
01:11Unfortunately, the PCA is constrained in its investigations where there is the retrieval of firearms and ammunition,
01:21as neither the members of the authority nor its investigators or legal staff are exempt from criminal liability for handling firearms and ammunition.
01:31The PCA has, however, in the past issued advice to the Office of the Commissioner of Police regarding proper accountability for firearms and ammunition.
01:42The PCA director explains that given the authority's legal constraints,
01:47it is dependent on the TDPS to do the necessary investigations to determine the authenticity of the ammunition.
01:54The authority is also confirming an increase in police killings since the calling of the state of emergency.
02:01Data from the authority indicate that in 2023, there were 39 incidents of police-involved shootings with 48 victims.
02:10In 2024, 37 incidents of police-involved shootings resulted in 54 victims.
02:16While for 2025 thus far, 38 police-involved shootings have claimed a total of 46 lives.
02:24Meantime, the Police Service Social and Welfare Association is asking for the public's discretion and understanding.
02:32Oftentimes we hear people talking about the amount of police killings and the increase in police killings.
02:39And, you know, it suggests as though persons are of the view that the officers, when they are out there,
02:50that they have some control at times as to how things could end up.
02:54And not necessarily bringing in the factor that there are so many armed persons outside there.
03:02And not just to say armed, but they are heavily armed, who are reaping havoc on a lot of our law-abiding citizens.
03:11So we urge our members to maintain the fight, keep up the fight.
03:18And, you know, as I said before, they have our fullest support regarding the use of force and the use of force policy.
03:27He's also urging everyone to allow the law to run its course, as it pertains to the alleged recovery of TDPS bullets at the latest crime scene.
03:37These matters are thoroughly investigated.
03:41And the fact that these matters are thoroughly investigated, it means to say that, considering this incident happened yesterday,
03:49you know, things are still very much premature.
03:52So we wouldn't want to make any pronouncements.
03:55I know that persons will automatically, because of what have been revealed so far, form an opinion.
04:02But we would want to say that these early days here, there could be a number of reasons why things appear the way they appear.
04:12But we wouldn't want to speculate at this point in time.
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