CCN Balancing The Reporting of Crime

JCF Balancing The Reporting of Crime

(Audio clip)

Head of CCN Inspector Steve Brown said that his unit is reviewing how it reports serious crime in order to give the public more context about murders. Inspector Brown was participating in an IABC presentation and discussion "Earthquakes, Murders and Blackouts" on March 3.

"Some of these murders, you will never understand it; especially from an organised perspective. Most of these murders can be easily explained, and that is what we intend to do from a communications perspective...at least some people can get a better understanding as to why some of these people are taken out. Gang men having their personal conflicts."

Sharing examples of how murders were carried out on persons who may be far removed from a conflict or by gang members with low tolerance he said, "We have to try to balance the thing so that you have an understanding and don't panic because most of the times it (the murder) is coming from somewhere."


Inspector Brown said that constant reporting of serious crimes has an effect on members of the CCN and that the Force steps in to protect those officers.

"The most dificult task is when you go on a murder scene and you are caught in the middle of children crying for their parents...people begging for help. That is the most difficult task and challenge. How do you relate to those human beings? We tend to withdraw some of the police officers from CCN who go out on a murder scene too often. It is our responsibility to be professional," he said.

The CCN Head said that the Force was tackling its image by being tough on corruption that is within and cited examples of recent arrests of officers by other officers and the reporting of it by the CCN.

He said that the future of the Force is looking promising as they were currently experiencing an increase in the number of qualified persons who are applying to enter. "We are getting people who are qualified people to be a part of the JCF to change the face of this organisation....It is  your police force and it is something that we are working on," he said.