Police handled Travis Chase probe unprofessionally

Well-known journalist Mr. Travis Chase made a report to the police that unknown person/s shot at his car. He claimed that it was an attempt to assassinate him. The police responded and during the course of the initial investigation found evidence that the car was indeed shot at. They found what appeared to be bullet holes on the car and spent ammunition shells in the vicinity.

The police in a release stated that “one of the expert firearm examiners within the laboratory compared the aforementioned shell casings with the specimen shell casing that were obtained from Mr Chase when he had just purchased and registered his firearm, and the preliminary test result reveals (sic) significant similarities between these spent shells”. The release went on to say that “as a consequence, investigators have invited Mr Chase to surrender his licensed firearm for further analysis to be conducted”.

Editor, I find this course of action by the police very strange, even suspicious. According to the report, Mr. Chase never fired his firearm during the incident, so why did the police find it necessary to check the ballistic records of Mr. Chase’s firearm? I am of the view that this was a very suspicious course of action. According to the police they are in possession of ballistic records of Mr. Chase’s firearm. So why was there a need for the firearm to be turned in for examination?

Mr. Chase complied with the request by the police and turned in his firearm for examination. After keeping the firearm for more than twenty-four hours, the police returned the firearm to him. The police then issued a release which said that the result of the ballistic test on the firearm was “inconclusive”. Why the firearm was returned if the test was “inconclusive”?

Editor, the way this matter was handled by the police raises lots of questions. It is evident that the police, without any proper investigation into the alleged assassination attempt, sought to paint a picture that Mr. Chase, the victim in this disturbing incident, was not to be believed.

I would advise Mr. Travis Chase to be careful, be very careful. The fact that the police handled the alleged assassination attempt in such an unprofessional manner is cause for concern. He should be even more concerned that his licensed firearm was unjustifiably kept by the police for over twenty-four hours.

Yours truly,

Paul Slowe, CCH, DSM, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Retired). Former Chairman Police Service Commission.