Investigating Agency and Issue Selected
The York Regional Police had the first chance of finding the missing child but failed due to a sloppy investigation and documentation of evidence. Analyzing their crime scene and evidence handling, it is evident that they had a high chance of tracing the child, whether alive or not. The handling of evidence and the crime scene management determine how close the police are to finding a perpetrator. The crime scene is considered the ground zero in any police investigation and often provides the primary leads for the investigation. Mismanagement of the crime scene and disregarding any information, however subtle, jeopardizes the investigation. In this case, evidence and information from witnesses were overwhelming, but the police had their attention focused on finding a lost child. When investigating a missing person case, the police must also explore the possibility of abduction, sexual assault, or murder. The crime scene and evidence must, therefore, be treated with discretion and used to find any clues before allowing members of the public access it.
Summary of Kaufmann Inquiry Findings
The police should have considered the possibility of abduction from the position of Christine's bicycle. The bicycle was not in its usual place and was also damaged. It was evidence of a struggle, which meant the girl had struggled with someone, most likely a stronger person, before she disappeared. The placement of her jacket should also have provided the police with an insight that someone older took her away. The jacket was hanging out of Christine's reach, yet no other member of her family had arrived home. This detail suggested that a stranger had been with her before she disappeared. Based on these findings, the police should have interviewed all neighbors regarding the sighting of strangers in the vicinity. The police should also have dusted the home to find any fingerprints that did not belong to family members. Different fingerprints would be found, which would narrow down the investigation to a particular individual instead of searching the whole neighborhood. However, the police were overly focused and narrow-minded that they did not consider the crime being abduction.
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The gravity of the mistake was not realized until a fingerprint was discovered in Christine's recorder when her remains were found. The police wanted a comparison to determine whether the fingerprint was hers or her killer's but discovered they could not get her clear imprint since the home and her room had already been accessed by neighbors, family, and the police. It would be a colossal task to profile all fingerprints found in her room, trying to isolate hers. Although a clear link had been established, the pertinent information had been tampered with.
The police also allowed random people to go in and out of the house, which could have provided the suspect, Guy Paul Morin, the chance to erase any information that would have linked him to the crime. He would have noticed the evidence he left behind, such as the jacket hanging out of reach of Christine, then moved it to the table. He could also be the person who returned the bicycle to its usual position and even cleared any fingerprints on it. Even if they were to dust the bicycle later and find his fingerprints, it would be difficult to pinpoint his prints since neighbors had touched several items in the house as they helped in the search.
The police investigators were also sluggish in processing information, which slowed down the search. The police department did not publish images of the missing child until late in the 1980s. The department also lacked a proper system to manage the investigation, which translated into poor documentation. Officers were not followed up on whether they accomplished their roles or not. Some may not have covered the assigned areas, which created loopholes in the investigation. Proper documentation would also have helped trace what areas were covered by civilians who were assisting in the search.
The investigation also ignored the power of interrogation and first-hand information from neighbors. When canvassing the neighborhood, the police did not provide forms for all neighbors to fill out the exact details of their dealings of the day. Only the nearest neighbors were questioned, and no documentation was done. That could have provided room for them to lie. Although Durham police thoroughly canvassed the neighborhood a month later, the lack of documentation meant there were no comparison notes. Inconsistencies or gaps in the neighbors' schedules would have provided a lead to a possible suspect. When a couple reported having seen a man in a car forcefully holding down a child, they were neither questioned further nor their claim accompanied by an adequate investigation to provide details. The couple even mentioned they had sighted a similar car in Christine's neighborhood, but the police ignored such a crucial tip. Witnesses lead the police in creating links between incidences and possible clues on suspects. Had the police followed up on the eyewitnesses' statement, they would have easily traced the suspect, as the car they described was Guy Paul's car. Combined with the fact that he was always home, the couple's statement was a strong lead.
Impact upon Current Police Practices
After the Kaufmann's report, amendments were made on police investigations to make them more effective. All members were alerted on the importance of including a possibility of murder and abduction for all reported cases of missing persons. The last place that the person was at must also be labeled as a crime scene and cordoned off. Pictures and dusting must also be done on the area to isolate familiar and foreign fingerprints before the public is allowed in. Documentation must also be proper, accompanied by maps and drawings to make the information clearer. The files must also be updated regularly to ensure the findings are up to date.
Dogs also play a major role in the investigation as they have a strong sense of smell. Including dogs in a search speeds up the investigation and looks into fine details. All officers in the region must all be put on alert on the incidence, given that it is considered as both a missing person report and a possible criminal offense. All officers involved must report to the same senior officer for easier coordination and dissemination of information. The officer in charge must also visit the crime scene to gather first-hand information and record it.
Conclusion
The police perform an important task of investigating crime and apprehending suspects but may be sloppy in some cases. The investigation may fail to yield fruits due to negligence, assumption, poor documentation, communication breakdown, and failure to pay attention to detail. The police force needs reinforcement on proper investigation, handling of evidence, and crime scene management for them to apprehend more suspects. Coordination is, therefore, essential in all searches, as it ensures information flows in the right channels, noting any developing leads in the investigation. It also eliminates misleading tips that slow down the process.
