Prominent defense attorney Grant Connell has launched a fierce public critique of the Police Commissioner Enville Williams, labeling him the “worst individual that ever sat down in the chair” of the police force. Speaking on Hot97 broadcast, Connell outlined a severe lack of essential crime-fighting resources and accused the Commissioner of failing to advocate for his officers, leaving them to work in deplorable conditions.
The confrontation was sparked by a recent police press release condemning public comments allegedly made by Connell at the Serious Offences Court. The police claimed Connell warned citizens to be careful about which officers they surrender illegal firearms to, suggesting the deadly weapons might re-enter unlawful circulation.
However, Connell vehemently denied making these statements during court proceedings. To prove his point, the attorney brought a $5 official court transcript to the radio station, demonstrating that the alleged comments were not part of the court record. He criticized the Commissioner for speaking “out of turn” and failing to follow basic procedure, noting that a true leader would have verified the facts by obtaining a transcript before issuing public condemnations.
Pivoting to the broader issue of the state of crime, Connell placed the blame for the country’s current trajectory squarely at the Commissioner’s feet. He revealed alarming deficiencies in the police force’s basic forensic and investigative tools, which he argues are severely hampering justice.
According to Connell, officers frequently respond to crime scenes without basic blood sampling or fingerprinting kits. He alleged that the main fingerprinting machine at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) does not work simply because the software license has not been paid. Furthermore, Connell claimed that many street cameras provide a “false sense of security” because they are non-functional, and the ones that do work only store footage for 90 days due to a lack of external hard drives.
The situation is reportedly just as dire for the Sexual Offences Unit, which Connell says is “bawling for resources”. He stated the unit lacks dedicated transport to reach vulnerable girls and lacks proper rape kits. In one shocking example, Connell recounted a case where a man accused of rape voluntarily provided a blood sample for DNA testing to clear his name. Months later, an officer admitted in court that the sample was never tested and was simply sitting “in the fridge at CID”.
Beyond investigative tools, Connell painted a bleak picture of the daily realities for rank-and-file officers, describing their working environments as “inhumane”. He described officers operating out of garages flooded with oil and water, and working in spaces resembling “pigeon coops”.
While regular officers struggle with limited transport such as allegedly having only one vehicle to share between Georgetown and Owia, Connell pointed out a stark contrast in leadership luxuries, noting that the Commissioner is chauffeured in a Fortuna.
Connell argued that the Commissioner’s failure stems from a refusal to stand up to politicians and demand the resources his personnel desperately need. Stating that a true leader would refuse to let his officers live and work like animals, Connell brought a cake to the radio station to prematurely “celebrate” the Commissioner’s eventual departure, warning that the country will continue to suffer as long as he remains in charge.
Forensic and Investigative Deficiencies
| Resource | Status/Issue |
|---|---|
| Blood Sampling | Police reportedly lack blood sampling kits at crime scenes. This forces officers to rely on visual observation rather than DNA or blood evidence. |
| Fingerprinting | The fingerprint machine at CID is reportedly non-functional because the license for the machine has not been renewed. |
| Rape Kits | There are allegations of a shortage or total lack of rape kits. In one instance, a blood sample was taken from a suspect but remained untested in a fridge at CID. |
| Footprint/Trace Evidence | Officers are reportedly unable to collect basic footprint or trace evidence at homicide scenes due to a lack of resources. |
Infrastructure and Surveillance
- CCTV Failures: It is alleged that none of the cameras on Bay Street are functional.
- Data Retention: For cameras that do work, the database only retains footage for 90 days. Evidence from crimes committed in January, for example, is unavailable by April.
- Transport Shortages: The Sex Crimes Unit and stations between Georgetown and Owia reportedly suffer from a lack of transport, preventing officers from monitoring vulnerable individuals or responding to calls.