Inept policework blamed for unsolved murder on STJ

Maybe this will finally lead to a full investigation of VIPD and a take over by the Feds.

Yea hopefully so. That's terrible! I truly hope that not what was actually said to the parents.

Yea hopefully so. That's terrible! I truly hope that not what was actually said to the parents.

Given your knowledge of the VI- do you have any doubt?

Normally yes, but perhaps not in this case. I do think its tragic but think about 80% of people here make shit up constantly and make a HIGE deal out of tiny things. I believe it's all like a bad game of telephone. I HATE rumors, it's such a waste of energy so I jut nod and don't talk about things I don't know about.

I've only had one experience with the police here. It was a positive one. A friends bag got lost with her iPhone in it. The cop was able to use my cell to track it and retrieve her bag within a hour. I do see cops on their phone while driving a lot and that pisses me off.

I do see cops on their phone while driving a lot and that pisses me off.

Many police officers who participate in Neighborhood Watch programs give their cell numbers to those in the programs so that they can be quickly reached if out on patrol in the area in the event of suspicious activity. Given that a lot of miscreants have police scanners it's a good idea.

I do see cops on their phone while driving a lot and that pisses me off.

Many police officers who participate in Neighborhood Watch programs give their cell numbers to those in the programs so that they can be quickly reached if out on patrol in the area in the event of suspicious activity. Given that a lot of miscreants have police scanners it's a good idea.

Then they should use a hands free device as required by law.

I do see cops on their phone while driving a lot and that pisses me off.

Many police officers who participate in Neighborhood Watch programs give their cell numbers to those in the programs so that they can be quickly reached if out on patrol in the area in the event of suspicious activity. Given that a lot of miscreants have police scanners it's a good idea.

Then they should use a hands free device as required by law.

It's my understanding that in most jurisdictions the law does not apply to law enforcement and emergency personnel.

For those of you on Facebook you may follow the families Facebook page "Justice For Jimmy" with regular updates

Pia

http://www.fios1news.com/newjersey/node/24249#.UzHW5_fD_mK

I still can't believe they didn't check for fingerprints at a murder scene. You really can't give fewer f*cks.

"...there's a dark side to it...that dark side that is if something happens to you as a US citizen you are left alone."

It's the Wild Wild West. It doesn't matter US citizen or not-- it's a breakdown of the system. I highly doubt these police officers even receive the training or supplies that would allow them to even take fingerprints.

Not to take away from this incident- but what about the 59 murders they referenced for 2012? How many of those were solved? It's the risk you take living here. I do not want to downplay what happened, but it's nothing new. Neglect, misinformation, incompleteness seems to be USVI PD standard operating procedure.

The PD is treating this case like all the others. You cannot have expectations that anything will be done if something happens to you. Perhaps "Justice for Jimmy" should be changed to "Justice for USVI Unsolved Murders." There are dozens of families in their same position and have been for years.

In 2010, VIPD's clearance rate for homicides was higher than the national average. In 2011 and 2012, it was much worse. Below are excerpts from some articles, with emphasis added.

From http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/local-news/2011/01/03/homicide-rate-set-record-2010-gains-were-made
Homicide Rate Set Record in 2010, but Gains Were Made
By John Baur — January 3, 2011
QUOTE
And the rate at which the police are "clearing" the crimes, identifying the culprit and making an arrest, is on the rise.
...
But the most important factor, he [Police Commissioner Francis E. Novelle Jr.] said, has been hard, aggressive police work, which has resulted in a very high "clearance" rate.

"We're not proud of the numbers (of homicides) we have seen," he said. "We don't have any control over the murders that are committed, we have the responsibility to solve them."

And the V.I.P.D. has been getting very good at that. Their clearance rate has been between 67 and 73 percent all year, better than the national average, which according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports is 65 percent for homicides.
UNQUOTE

From http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-homicide-rate-still-among-world-s-highest-1.1434291
V.I. homicide rate still among world's highest
By Lou Mattei (Daily News Staff)
Published: January 24, 2013
QUOTE
Also, police in the territory have failed to make arrests in about two-thirds of the "solvable" homicides during the last two years, according to Daily News records.

[V.I. Attorney General Vincent] Frazer agreed that a low arrest or "solvability" rate - about 32 percent territory-wide in 2011 and 2012 - makes it difficult to create a public perception of law and order. Even if Frazer's prosecutors had a 100 percent conviction rate - he declined to provide the actual rate for this story - two-thirds of the territory's killers still would never be brought to justice.

"It does concern me if we have a low solvability rate," Frazer said. "Certainly if it has dropped off quite a bit from where it was, certainly we want to take the steps necessary to get that back up."

The V.I. Police Department solved or made arrests in about 70 percent of cases in 2010, according to Daily News records.
UNQUOTE

In 2010, VIPD's clearance rate for homicides was higher than the national average. In 2011 and 2012, it was much worse. Below are excerpts from some articles, with emphasis added.

From http://stcroixsource.com/content/news/local-news/2011/01/03/homicide-rate-set-record-2010-gains-were-made
Homicide Rate Set Record in 2010, but Gains Were Made
By John Baur — January 3, 2011
QUOTE
And the rate at which the police are "clearing" the crimes, identifying the culprit and making an arrest, is on the rise.
...
But the most important factor, he [Police Commissioner Francis E. Novelle Jr.] said, has been hard, aggressive police work, which has resulted in a very high "clearance" rate.

"We're not proud of the numbers (of homicides) we have seen," he said. "We don't have any control over the murders that are committed, we have the responsibility to solve them."

And the V.I.P.D. has been getting very good at that. Their clearance rate has been between 67 and 73 percent all year, better than the national average, which according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports is 65 percent for homicides.
UNQUOTE

From http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-homicide-rate-still-among-world-s-highest-1.1434291
V.I. homicide rate still among world's highest
By Lou Mattei (Daily News Staff)
Published: January 24, 2013
QUOTE
Also, police in the territory have failed to make arrests in about two-thirds of the "solvable" homicides during the last two years, according to Daily News records.

[V.I. Attorney General Vincent] Frazer agreed that a low arrest or "solvability" rate - about 32 percent territory-wide in 2011 and 2012 - makes it difficult to create a public perception of law and order. Even if Frazer's prosecutors had a 100 percent conviction rate - he declined to provide the actual rate for this story - two-thirds of the territory's killers still would never be brought to justice.

"It does concern me if we have a low solvability rate," Frazer said. "Certainly if it has dropped off quite a bit from where it was, certainly we want to take the steps necessary to get that back up."

The V.I. Police Department solved or made arrests in about 70 percent of cases in 2010, according to Daily News records.
UNQUOTE

If the low solvability rate bothers him, he should consider buying things like fingerprint dust, or even training his officers! Lord knows a homicide investigative team wouldn't have to travel very far to get lots of practice down here.

Another drop in the bucket of inept police work... Something needs to happen in the US VI PD, yet nothing is done... Every time I drive past the police station on the west side of downtown Christiansted I see so many patrol cars parked there, so many of them that they have to park them across the street... I guess they are too busy working on paperwork and doing research... or how about the cop wearing his Beats by Dre humongous red headphones? Not that bad, except, he was driving around in one of the new Ford Explorer patrol vehicles... WTF! Too bad I couldn't snap a photograph... Then again, why would I take a photograph while driving? If that cop can't follow basic driving common sense and laws, how can he be capable of solving a crime?

http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-police-remain-tight-lipped-about-years-old-suspicious-death-on-st-john-1.1664278

God bless the poor soul and her family...