DPP says police should look at recruiting informants

In order to effectively tackle crime on all fronts, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP),{{more}} Colin Williams is of the view that use should be made of all tools available, even if it means recruiting informants.

The DPP’s suggestion came at the closing of the Criminal Assizes on Friday, July 29, at the High Court.

SEARCHLIGHT caught up with the DPP on Wednesday this week and asked him to elaborate on his statement.

“I believe you have to fight crime with all tools available to you and also with the ones we can utilise… We need to be more sophisticated and we need to employ conventional and non-conventional means…,” Williams stated.

According to the DPP, the approach of fighting crime must broaden.

“It will involve not just the better use of forensic and scientific approaches, but also harder policing. “We also need to use the tactics of recruiting informants and have undercover police officers to fight crime…,” he added.

Williams admitted that there may be issues where the defence will try to impugn the testimony of paid informants. “They are going to say, ohh, you get paid to say that and that is why you are saying this or that…”

“…Nevertheless, in fighting crime we have to use those tools. It will be useful in detecting crimes in the country,” Williams said.