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.
04:15Renasa Cutting, TV6 News.
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