Dominica’s newly appointed acting police Chief Daniel Carbon said there is a need for proper vetting of police recruits and existing police officers.
On that basis he is supporting calls for the introduction of lie detector tests for local police.
“Anything that will help the police force to be a better unit I welcome it,” the top cop stated. “I have seen certain documents and I believe that’s the way to go. Every person getting enlistment into the force and those who are already here should be vetted properly.”
He said a vetting procedure is already in place but pointed out because of the sensitivity of the matter he did not wish to divulge too much information. He however pointed out, “Lie detector test is a positive move for the force.”
Carbon also made a call to the public to assist by providing information during the recruitment process of police officers. “The public has a responsibility to ensure people enlisted into the police force are trustworthy,” he said.
Lie detectors or polygraphs are instruments that monitor a person’s physiological reactions. These instruments do not, as their nickname might suggest, detect lies. They can only detect whether deceptive behavior is being displayed.
CCTV in all charge offices and interrogation rooms…!
Great idea! This will change the entire professional outlook from a recruiting standpoint, and weed out the good from the bad.
This country have gotten sooo corrupt that one man tries to make a difference and we try to bring him down smh i hope this lie detector thing pulls thru but we need to take out the untrue/thieves etc one that are the one that suppose to make examples.
For someone who is only supposed to be only an Officer-in-Charge or acting in a care-taker capacity until the recruitment process for the appointment of a new chief is completed AFTER PROPER CONSULTATION with the relevant authorities mentioned in the Constitution, Mr. Carbon seems to be asserting himself as the Chief. He is sending out a lot of signals that he is there to stay. In fact, even DNO is referring to the gentleman -not as the Acting Chief but confidently as “top cop”. That’s all good.
For sure police recruits must be properly vetted. This should be the case across the board and not only for police officers. However, the use of lie detectors during the recruitment process????? (there may be some legal issues to be considered)
One understands the important role of the police in our society but the question arises as to why we seem prepared to make artificial distinctions between the police and ordinary civilians when it comes to breaking the law. If the subjection of ordinary citizens to a lie detector test for employment/recruitment or for other matters is good then it should be good for the police, politicians, ministers of government public servants, lawyers, magistrates, judges etc.
Applying the same reasoning, if anyone is suspected of being in bed with drug dealers, money launderers, be they ministers of government, priest or farmer, Venezuelan, Chinese etc, they should be investigated, arrested, charged and dealt with in accordance with the law. This is separate and distinct from disciplinary action via a Labour tribunal, which is usually a laborious and frustratingly slow process both for the employer and employee. The laws under which civilians are charged should be applicable for police officers suspected of the commission of a crime. Therefore, if a senior police officer is accused of sexual harassment or some other unwelcomed sexual advancement, I suppose the victim could bring a civil suit against the officer and if the action is criminal in nature, the officer should be dealt with under the criminal law. It would then be up to the Police Chief and the Police Service Commission to take further action as an employer.
I note that the Acting Chief has indicated that he has seen some documents on the subject, but one would hope that before any such measures are implemented consideration would be given to the protection of the fundamental rights of the individuals and therefore the legal impact of such measures will be thoroughly examined and vetted.—by Tony or whoever.
i don’t understand you at all. even if he is just acting, he is suppose to do what he is doing right now. act professionally. what do you expect him to do? sit back and do the bare minimum until he is officially appointed? then you will be the first to jump up and say that he is not doing his job properly. besides he wants the job so isn’t the best way to show that you have the commitment???
Hold your horses budman. You sound like an excited police officer. Actually I have no quarrels with Carbon’s conduct brother man. He is not the issue here. The issue is bigger than him. I do not jump up and say anything.
In fact, if he is a man of principle and integrity and he wants the job as you claim then he should demonstrate that he is prepared to stand up for what is right.
If he wishes his tenure to be respected and without controversy, he would be best advised to ensure that the PM engages in proper consultation if he is to be appointed Commissioner. In fact, he should say clearly to the PM that if you do not intend to engage in proper, thorough and effective consultation as prescribed, instructed and expected under the Constitution, he will not accept the appointment.
You see, Mr. Carbon may be a good man but too often we focus on the act and not the process by which we act. Therefore, everything is turned upside down in the end.
Also recording cameras while having intervue with criminals, raids etc,and surprise drug test for all policemen !!!!
No man is an Island and I stand alone. Some of us cannot .can’t manage out homes so how can we manage men and women in the police force.Don’t die unhappy Mr Carbon. God knows us all. The corrupt cops don’t work for themselves they work for men in higher offices than u. Be careful u r a one man gang.
I hope that will work because I know they have that in the force already Good luck Sir
the way 2 go
It was about time… they had one them about the police fr PETITE SAVANNE
Also, A psychological evaluation as well.
I wish Mr Carbon a great deal of luck. If I was the new commissioner I would make the suggestion to other islands that they do a swap with the local police here in Dominica. I have seen this work in other islands. We have different police who are not from here and do not have the connections with family and friends immediately stopping any corruption of bribing!! it really works! In this way the police here would not lose their jobs but be given the opportunity still to work!
this only works for about two to three years, after which those cops become a part of that society and fall into the same trap.
I wellcome that move. However, I think that it came too late for a certain disgusting,violent, quarrelsome, lying police officer . He annoys everyone with his offensive and condescending manner he uses to addresses civillians.This cop was arrested for stealing and because he has auties and uncles in high positions, the case was dimissed. If the lie dector test were in use before this vagrant of a cop entered the service, it would have rejected him.
The new top cop really looking to shake things up. I hope it’s not all talk, and I hope they don’t get rid of him like they did the former acting chief when he decided to investigate the fire bombing and the unlicensed firearm.
my fear is that if the new top cop is serious about doing things the right way , then he wont last very long.
It is ironic that the powers that be in Dominica, mainly the judicial system has outright rejected evidence of still photographs of people caught in the commission of crimes.
Recently there was a stabbing photographed, the evidence was presented in court, showing the culprit using his weapon perpetrating crime, on his victim, however when the day came for him answer for the crime he committed, the magistrate hearing the case refused the photograph of the criminal in the act, stating that the photograph cannot be admissible.
We had a murder case in the country where the FBI came and collected DNA evidence, it was presented to the court, a Dominica lawyer who has no training in DNA, never took a course in the subject convinced a Dominica judge that DNA evidence is unreliable, and the dumb judge agreed and set the rapist, the murderer a child free.
DNA evidence is 999.999999999% accurate, you can’t get better than that; in this case it is confirmed to be 100% accurate, so I cannot understand the reason why deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence, photographs, audio and video of people committing crimes in the country are not accepted in our courts; but by the same token there are people supporting police officers take lie detector test.
Anyone who would subject themselves to a lie detector test is a fool.
Lie detector test are unreliable, and can be manipulated, to either condemned, the innocent, or exonerate the guilty!
As a result of that; Lie detector test as evidence are not admissible in courts in the entire United States!
As usual we must always crave what the world have already chewed up and spew out due to the toxin within, everybody in the Caribbean is improving their infrastructure with International Airport, and all you know, yet some Dominicans want boat, and canoe to be Dominica’ most reliable means of transportation in and out of we country eh!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Noooooooooooooooo, we doh want nothing as reliable as DNA, and video, give we de lie detector oui!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Wish you would get all your facts straight before you type such eloquent words. Firstly, photographs, videos, all electronic evidence or displays, printouts or outputs of the electronic data is admissible in Dominican courts since May 2010. Any case that is thrown out is grounds for serious appeal. See government website: http://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/2010/Electronic%20Evidence%20no.%2013.pdf
Secondly, you were not in court for the DNA evidence case, but I certainly was. The evidence was thrown out because the evidence was disputed by the lawyer because an eye witness (the nurse who was there) said that it was not the individual that was on trial that the DNA sample was taken from. It was a setup by the police. All people of Pte Mitchel know the guy who they got the evidence from fled the state to the BVI/USVI, but is now back in D/ca.
Please do your homework before you talk.
Warning to all Dominicans: If any police is investigating a case where electronic evidence is in question, know your rights. Photos, Videos, etc are admissible! If your lawyer is unaware tell them to check the laws.
http://www.dominica.gov.dm/laws/2010/Electronic%20Evidence%20no.%2013.pdf
It is about the police.
Mr. Telemaque, I have some concerns with your posting. I do not think that anyone is saying that we want lie detector test in lieu of the reliability of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence, photographs, audio and video etc. A suggestion was merely made to at least use lie detectors.
Moreover, I think reference is being made only to police officers and not the broad issue admissibility of evidence in court of law as part of a criminal trial.
Furthermore, I do not think it is fair to say that anyone who would subject themselves to a lie detector test is a fool. This overboard.
Finally and most importantly, I think your facts are incorrect with regard to the admissibility of the detector test in the US. Yes, some jurisdictions have banned the admissibility of polygraph results as evidence and in some jurisdictions even the suggestion that a polygraph examination is involved could be cause for appeal or retrial. However, to date I do not think that the US Supreme Court has ruled on the issue of admissibility of such evidence as you have so boldly proclaimed.
The debate is ongoing regarding the use of polygraph and laws are changing but polygraphs are still admissible in courts in the US if ruled on by the judge. Polygraph results (or psycho-physiological detection of deception examinations) are admissible in some federal courts and in some states. Parties to a matter could even agree to have such evidence before the examination is given under terms of a stipulation. Among the limitations, however, the judge is less likely to admit the polygraph test if it was administered by an unaccredited examiner.
what does the airport have to do with a polygraph test?? Telemaque all over the place as usual.
Budman i do agree with you this man Telemaque knows too much, he likes to boast how many fast cars he drove he is full of him self, all such boasting is a sin.
@ jespen …hahahaha…………Jamaica??????????
why do you think the Jamaican authorities extradited dudus knon as “coke”…to the US….because he was about to give the names of all the government officials that was involved in drug trafficking….all his partners in crime
if the court case took place in Jamaica that is what would have happened…..so they ship him to the US…..the politicians always get away with their crimes
@tiny. you are off topic a bit. In Jamaica polygraph tests are given to the police not the government officials that you referenced. secondly Dudus’ real surname is “Coke” that’s not an alias.
i do not consider that a response..i’m off topic?
..and secondly his last name is not important to me…..i know someone who knew him personally ….all i heard was that top government officials were involved…..
yes but the topic was polygraphing of the police not top governemnt officials. secondly, the only reason i gave clarity to dudus surname was ebcause the way you wrote it would imply that it was an alias.
polygraph test should be implemented on and during interviewing persons for policing. the findings of the test is not by no means a test that if full proof and it is not admissible in any court as evidence around the world, it is only used for intelligence purposes..
now, mr carbon you start talking alot already but remmember what you say can come back and hunt you, you are not exempted from that test as a police officer yourself and i hope you will lead, be the first person to take the test….
the results of the test should not go to any political leader but to some caribbean police association… not even a judge or a priest can be trusted in that country
and i strongly believe that all politicans should take the test before any civil servant…
kool
Jamaica uses this equipment.
Part of the recruitment process should be that of publishing the names and photographs of prospective recruits in the print media and to police force’s website (well they do not have one yet) and invite the public to inform the commissioner of what they may know about these folks. Whatever information received will then be looked into for truthfulness. St. Lucia does it.
but st lucians are more mature in their thinking than dominicans, in dominica alot of false statements would be made about the applicants by people of the same community the applicant is from
That’s what you a dictatorship.And you all calling the P.M bad names/
is it only be going to be used in the recruitment process?
well i think it should be used on all government officials when ever fowl play is suspected or it should not be used at all
ok i see it says recruits and EXISTING police officers…. good to know………….it should be extended to all government workers and officials………
if not used on all this is a form of discrimination and law suits should follow
i meant to say if it is not used on all government workers….for recruitment purposes and suspicions of wrong doing in their current positions…then it should be used on a volunteer basis…it should not be mandatory…..or else this is DISCRIMINATION……lawsuits baby
voluntary
they doe say that habitual liars and psychopaths can easily pass these test and they have that is why why they are not admissible in the courts
incorrect. the ones who beat the tests are sociopaths. habitual liars would still fail
come on there are numerous shows on tv where i see habitual liars fail this test all the time…..the fact is it not reliable….and a sociopath is not very different form a psychopath if you ask me
one involves criminal activity…
Carbon no need to work so hard for the position, you from Vielle Case, hobbes does not stand a chance.
tHis is a good idea. they have started implementing this in other islands to weed out the dregs from the force.
can you tell me who dey weed out using a lie detector test…
the government will get sued if they use this to fire people… it is not full proof, it can be manupilated.. this is not a requirement in convicting any person in any court around the world. ever hear of hard evidence
get the facts before making these statments
@?you told me “get the facts before making these statments” well the fact is the polygraph screening is used in other islands already and others also going to implement it.
oh please… allu too negative man!
Ok Carby, you new so I will go easy on the questions but will address known issues in them and therefore here we go; Will you and all the other bunch take a lie detector test “IF” a female officer(s) accuse you all of sexual misconduct/ harassment? Ahmmmmmmm! I await a response because senior officers must lead by example.
Focus on solving crimes using innovative and useful techniques like ‘fingerprinting’ ;)
that’s very good carbon.
What about for politicians?
It’s an accepted fact that to be a politician you have to be a good liar but everything breaks down when you are riddled with lying policemen and corrupt lawyers.
well we want to know about blairecourt