NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boscobel Man Sentenced to More than Ten years in Federal Prison for Meth Conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who possessed ice methamphetamine with the intent to distribute was sentenced on April 8, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Hunter Newberry, age 23, from Boscobel, Wisconsin, pled guilty on October 31, 2024, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on January 27, 2024, law enforcement officers stopped the car Newberry was driving.  During the traffic stop, officers searched Newberry’s car and located a bag containing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine.  Subsequently, Newberry admitted to officers that he had acquired the methamphetamine in Madison, Wisconsin, and brought it to the Dubuque area to distribute.  Newberry admitted that between December 2023 and January 2024, he acquired at least ten pounds of methamphetamine and distributed it in the Dubuque area.  

    Newberry was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Newberry was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Newberry remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael S.A. Hudson and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Dubuque Drug Task Force, comprised of the Dubuque Police Department and the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-1026.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How the small autonomous region of Puntland found success in battling Islamic State in Somalia

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Ido Levy, PhD Candidate, School of International Service, American University

    Soldiers with the Puntland Defense Forces. Photo by Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    On Feb. 24, 2025, members of the Puntland Defense Forces posed next to a sign in Arabic that proclaimed the mountain town of Sheebaab as a “province” of the Islamic State group. The town, located in Somalia’s autonomous northeastern region of Puntland, was one of numerous areas that soldiers from the regional government have taken back during Operation Hilaac, an ongoing campaign against fighters from the Islamic State in Somalia – the local branch of the terrorist network – which began in late November 2024.

    Puntland’s success in combating a growing Islamic State group presence in the northeastern region is particularly notable given the relative lack of success of the central Somali government’s confrontation with the al-Qaida-affiliated group Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahidin – more commonly known as al-Shabab – which for about two decades has waged war against federal forces.

    In contrast, security forces in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland have, with some key support from international partners, united to repel the Islamic State group’s advance.

    The Islamic State group’s rise in Somalia

    Islamist groups have been part of Somalia’s fractured political landscape since the country’s descent into civil war in the 1980s.

    They tapped into profound local dissatisfaction with warlordism, tribalism and corruption, as well as a reaction to foreign intervention by Ethiopia, the United States and other international actors.

    Al-Shabab and later the Islamic State in Somalia are the most extreme manifestations of this trend.

    Islamic State in Somalia emerged in 2015 when a small group of al-Shabab members led by Abdulqadir Mumin – an extremist Somali preacher who previously lived in Sweden and the United Kingdom, where he acquired citizenship – pledged allegiance to then-Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Having formed as a local branch – or “province” in the group’s self conception as a global entity intent on expanding territory – Islamic State in Somalia launched its first major operation in October 2016, briefly seizing the port town of Qandala in Puntland.

    Thereafter, the group retreated to its strongholds in the mountain regions inside Puntland amid pressure from both the regional government and al-Shabab, which has cracked down on Islamic State supporters in its ranks.

    Yet from the Puntland mountains, Islamic State in Somalia grew into a key node of the terrorist group’s global network. It is now a hub for transferring funds and drawing recruits from across Africa and elsewhere via the regional coordination office it operates known as al-Karrar.

    One notable Sudan-born operative killed in a 2023 U.S. raid in Puntland, Bilal al-Sudani, was known as a key foreign fighter, facilitator and financier who developed Islamic State funding networks in South Africa and helped fund the group’s branch in Afghanistan.

    An NBC News report from mid-2024 cited U.S. officials who believed Mumin, head of Islamic State in Somalia, was acting as the network’s overall leader, or caliph, though other analysts have suggested he holds a top role close to caliph.

    In any case, Islamic State in Somalia’s ranks have increased steadily, from an estimated 200-300 fighters in 2016 to about 1,000 as of February 2025, according to reports.

    Puntland pushes back

    Puntland declared itself an autonomous region of Somalia in 1998 amid the ongoing Somali civil war and has since achieved relative stability compared with the other parts of the country, which have generally been marked by decades of sectarian division and weak central governance.

    Puntland is no stranger to divisions in a country that often hinges on clan loyalties, but it has achieved a greater degree of unity and has regularly raised security forces to defeat external threats, often with considerable foreign support.

    The dominance of a single clan, the Majeerteen, has in part likely helped facilitate this unity. In the current operations against Islamic State in Somalia, the autonomous Puntland government under President Said Abdullahi Deni has gathered several disparate regional forces under the “Puntland Defense Forces” banner, including clan militias, the Puntland Darawish – a regional paramilitary unit – and the Puntland Maritime Police Force.

    Soldiers with the Puntland Defense Forces stand at a base formerly held by the Islamic State group’s Somali affiliate in January 2025 in Puntland, Somalia.
    Carolyn Van Houten/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    The Puntland Maritime Police Force in particular has evolved into a well-trained and experienced counterterrorism unit. Founded with United Arab Emirates money and mentored by private South African military contractors to address growing piracy, it has turned to fighting al-Shabab and Islamic State in Somalia in the mountain regions. Indeed, it played a leading role in taking Qandala from Islamic State control in 2016. It also cooperated effectively with other forces to defeat a 2016 al-Shabab attempt to attack Puntland from the sea.

    The U.S. and UAE have supported the Puntland government’s campaign. In February 2025, the U.S. launched two airstrikes on Islamic State fighters, with one on Feb. 1, 2025, killing Omani-born Ahmed Maeleninine, a key recruiter, financier and facilitator. The United States claimed another airstrike on March 25.

    The UAE has conducted airstrikes too, likely from the large UAE-funded Puntland Maritime Police Force headquarters base in the major port city of Bosaso.

    The Puntland government has claimed that through its latest operation it has advanced through 315 kilometers, clearing numerous villages and outposts in the mountains.

    On Feb. 11, 2025, The Washington Post reported that regional security forces had killed more than 150 Islamic State members, mostly foreign fighters from countries including Morocco, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, illustrating the group’s significance as a global hub for the network. In fact, one analyst counted 118 dead fighters from a single encounter in early February, indicating a possibly higher death toll. In any case, it represents heavy losses for Islamic State in Somalia, though it is not defeated yet and still numbers fighters in the hundreds.

    The risk of outside interference

    All in all, Puntland has leveraged past success fighting jihadist groups in making remarkable progress in its fight against Islamic State in Somalia.

    It shows how local and substate forces can be more effective at fighting armed nonstate groups than the federal authorities, despite limited resources.

    No doubt, support from the United States and UAE has aided Puntland’s anti-Islamic State push. But reliance on outside sources risks creating dependence on them when local forces must ultimately take ownership of the fight themselves.

    And less patient foreign supporters have been known to spoil the elite units they build. This occurred with the Puntland Security Force, a U.S.-created special forces unit that splintered during a brief withdrawal of U.S. forces from Somalia in 2021 and 2022.

    There are also risks that partner forces will behave badly. While the Emirati mission in Puntland – as well as in Afghanistan and Yemen – has proven effective in fighting jihadists, in Sudan it has been arguably disastrous. There, the UAE-backed Rapid Support Forces paramilitary unit helped to ignite an ongoing civil war in 2023 during which its members perpetrated alleged atrocities.

    Ultimately, it will be up to Puntlanders themselves to keep fighting. Indeed, foreign support would have little impact without effective local forces on the ground with the political will to sustain the campaign. Just as Puntland has done before, so too is it now demonstrating that it is determined to fight the threat posed by jihadist groups like Islamic State in Somalia.

    Ido Levy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How the small autonomous region of Puntland found success in battling Islamic State in Somalia – https://theconversation.com/how-the-small-autonomous-region-of-puntland-found-success-in-battling-islamic-state-in-somalia-251775

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sand Beach — RCMP charges one person after responding to barricaded man

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Yarmouth Rural RCMP Detachment has charged a man who was in possession of a firearm while barricaded in a home in Sand Beach.

    On April 7 at approximately 11:20 pm, RCMP responded to a report of a man in possession of a firearm who had assaulted a woman. The two were inside a home on Wyman Rd.

    The woman, along with another male occupant, were able to exit the home safely. When police arrived, the man was the only person in the house. He had barricaded himself inside a room and refused to exit.

    The Nova Scotia RCMP Emergency Response Team and RCMP Police Dog Services (PDS) attended in addition to general duty officers.

    At approximately 3:45 a.m. on April 8, the man exited the home but refused to comply with officers’ directions. An officer deployed their conductive energy weapon, and the man was arrested with the assistance of PDS. He was transported to hospital by EHS for assessment of non-life-threatening injuries.

    Colin Outhouse, 50, of Sand Beach, is charged with Assault and Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose. He had a first court appearance on April 8 and was remanded into custody pending future court appearances.

    Also on April 8, investigators executed a search warrant at the home and seized a firearm.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Miller County Man Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    TEXARKANA, ARKANSAS – A Doddridge, Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 198 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.  The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Texarkana.

    According to court documents, Nathaniel Gareth Doggett, age 22, used an online social media platform to distribute child pornography to a minor.  Doggett’s crime came to light after a CyberTip was submitted to the FBI by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  When interviewed by FBI agents, Doggett admitted to downloading and distributing child pornography, including files of pre-pubescent children, through the social media application.   

    Doggett was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in June of 2023 and entered a plea of guilty in August of 2025.  His conviction requires him to register as a sex offender.

    U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Miller County Sheriff’s Office, the El Dorado Police Department, and the Arkansas State Police investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Still and Graham Jones prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Recidivist drug trafficker from Portsmouth sentenced to 10 years in prison for fentanyl distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for trafficking fentanyl.

    According to court documents, from Feb. 24, 2023, to May 22, 2023, Chesapeake Police (CPD) conducted five controlled purchases of cocaine and fentanyl from Karleak Ali, 53. On May 25, 2023, CPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) searched Ali’s residence and vehicle and recovered 33 grams of fentanyl, 87 grams of cocaine, a digital scale, packaging material, a sifter, two firearms, ammunition, and approximately $6,000.

    Ali has previous felony drug convictions in Norfolk Circuit Court, including distribution of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. In July 2007, Ali was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. The Chesapeake Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-4.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Bend Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Earl Mines, 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Mines was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in July 2024, Mines sold nearly 100 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. This occurred while Mines was on federal supervised release following his conviction for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and for possessing a stolen firearm.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, including the DEA North Central Laboratory, with assistance from the Indiana State Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Falvey.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Honduras: The presidential candidates have a unique opportunity to commit to human rights

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Amnesty International encourages the presidential candidates to ensure that their political agendas in the lead-up to the general election on 30 November include a focus on human rights.

    This year, the electoral process in Honduras coincides with the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Honduras, in which UN member states will analyse, in November, Honduras’ performance in the field of human rights.

    The election campaign is, therefore, a unique opportunity for the candidates, recently confirmed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on April 8th, to take a stance on the country’s main and historic human rights shortcomings, and incorporate them into their respective agendas.

    “Progress on human rights in Honduras over the past four years has been very timid. In fact, the Honduran Government has broken many of its commitments to the country’s population in terms of human rights. Examples include failings in the fight against impunity, guaranteeing security, protection of human rights defenders and journalists, and sexual and reproductive rights. Honduras’ fourth UPR cycle can be a crucial moment to initiate a change in the direction of the country, if the presidential candidates take advantage of it as an opportunity”, said Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

    Progress on human rights in Honduras over the past four years has been very timid. In fact, the Honduran Government has broken many of its commitments to the country’s population in terms of human rights. Examples include failings in the fight against impunity, guaranteeing security, protection of human rights defenders and journalists, and sexual and reproductive rights. Honduras’ fourth UPR cycle can be a crucial moment to initiate a change in the direction of the country, if the presidential candidates take advantage of it as an opportunity”

    Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International

    Amnesty International has submitted a report to the UN ahead of the UPR. The document evaluates the implementation to date of the recommendations made by other States to Honduras in its previous UPR, in 2021, and raises concerns about the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, and other human rights issues related to the environment, women’s rights, discrimination and health. It also sets out proposals for recommendations. Below, we highlight some of them.

    Use of force

    In 2022, the Honduran Government declared a state of emergency, which has remained in force ever since, justifying it as necessary to combat insecurity and organized crime. This measure has, for example, enabled the National Police and the Military Police to carry out searches and detentions without judicial authorizations in 226 of the country’s 298 municipalities.

    Amnesty International shares the concern of local organizations and the media that have documented multiple human rights violations in the context of implementation of the state of emergency, allegedly perpetrated by the National Police, the Anti-Gang Police (DIPAMPCO) and the Military Police, such as arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force, torture, enforced disappearances and violations of the right to a fair trial. By October 2024, the National Human Rights Commissioner had received more than 700 complaints against the police and security forces since the beginning of the state of emergency and has since called for an end to that measure.

    We urge the presidential candidates to commit to ending the prolonged state of emergency, devising a comprehensive and sustainable security policy, and ensuring prompt, impartial, independent and effective investigations into all cases of unnecessary and excessive use of force, to be conducted by independent bodies different from those of the alleged perpetrators.

    Human rights defenders and journalists

    Honduras is the country with the highest number of land and environmental defenders killed per capita in the world, according to the latest Global Witness report. The vast majority of attacks, which mainly occur in the context of legal disputes related to mining projects, insecurity of land tenure and violations of the rights of Indigenous Peoples, go unpunished. There are also concerns about the high level of criminalization of human rights defenders, for example, based on the crime of usurpation, as a result of Decree 93-2021, which amended the criminal code.

    This situation is exacerbated by the weakness and ineffectiveness of the national mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders and journalists, which international and national organizations have repeatedly warned about.

    Therefore, we ask the candidates to make a serious commitment to effectively protect human rights defenders and journalists, who play an essential role in defending the rule of law. To that end, we urge them to ensure that sufficient resources are assigned to the effective protection of human rights defenders and journalists, and to guarantee thorough, prompt, impartial and independent investigations into all attacks against them. We also call on them to refrain from misusing the justice system to intimidate, harass and discredit human rights defenders, and to promote Honduras’ accession to the Escazú Regional Agreement, the first Latin American and Caribbean treaty to include provisions on the protection of environmental defenders.

    Sexual and reproductive rights

    Abortion is still prohibited in Honduras under all circumstances. In 2023, the government legalized the use and sale of the emergency contraceptive pill. However, access to the pill is hampered due to limited availability at public health facilities. Moreover, despite high levels of childhood and adolescent pregnancies, in 2023 the president vetoed the Pregnancy Prevention Act, aimed at providing comprehensive sex education.

    We urge the candidates to commit to decriminalizing abortion in all circumstances and ensuring access to abortion in law and in practice for women, girls and all persons who can become pregnant.

    “Amnesty International calls on the presidential candidates in Honduras’ upcoming general elections to demonstrate their express, clear and firm commitment to defending human rights. We also ask them to take all necessary measures to ensure that human rights violations are not committed during the electoral process”, added Ana Piquer.

    Amnesty International calls on the presidential candidates in Honduras’ upcoming general elections to demonstrate their express, clear and firm commitment to defending human rights. We also ask them to take all necessary measures to ensure that human rights violations are not committed during the electoral process”

    Ana Piquer, Americas Director at Amnesty International

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee against Torture Commend Monaco’s Ratification of International Human Rights Treaties, Ask about Efforts to Revise Torture Laws and the Transfer of Prisoners to France

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee against Torture today concluded its consideration of the seventh periodic report of Monaco under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, with Committee Experts praising Monaco’s ratification of United Nations and European human rights treaties, while raising questions about efforts to bring legislation on torture in line with the Convention and the transfer of prisoners to France.

    Abderrazak Rouwane, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur, congratulated Monaco on having ratified a significant number of United Nations and Council of Europe human rights instruments. Why had the State party decided not to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture?

    Mr. Rouwane asked about measures the State party had taken to harmonise national legislation on torture with the Convention.  The Committee was concerned about the statute of limitations on torture crimes, the lack of specific provisions in the Criminal Code imposing an absolute prohibition of torture, and the lack of clear mechanisms protecting subordinates from being forced to carry out unlawful orders.

    Erdogan Iscan, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur, said some inmates in Monaco continued to be transferred to French prisons, and the State 

    party lacked oversight of places of deprivation of liberty in France.  Would a formal legal procedure for recording prisoners’ consent to transfers be created?  Which State was responsible for ensuring legal safeguards for these prisoners?

    Introducing the report, Samuel Vuelta Simon, Secretary of State for Justice of Monaco, Director of Judicial Services and head of the delegation, said Monaco ensured that its legal framework was fully in line with its international commitments and that its texts were regularly adapted to better meet the requirements of the fight against torture and inhuman treatment.

    Mr. Vuelta Simon said the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure allowed for severe punishment for any act resembling torture or inhuman treatment.  Also, a legislative proposal currently being prepared would ensure that the crime of torture was imprescriptible and would also ensure the unenforceability of any hierarchical order invoked to justify it.

    The delegation said the Convention against Torture had been rendered executory by a sovereign ordinance.  It took precedence over domestic legislation. The State party was also considering domestic legislation that would define torture in line with the Convention.

    The delegation said an impact study on the Optional Protocol to the Convention had been carried out, and the State party was not closing the door on ratification.  However, it attached greater importance to the main international human rights instruments.  There was only one detention facility in Monaco, which was already reviewed by international monitoring mechanisms.

    The delegation also said that Monaco’s territory was only two square kilometres.  Its small size made it necessary to turn to France for assistance in managing prisoners.  Transfer requests to French prisons were made by detainees who were French citizens. The State party would consider formalising this procedure.  French authorities cooperated with transfer procedures and guaranteed detainees’ rights. There was no transfer of citizens of Monaco to foreign prisons.

    In closing remarks, Claude Heller, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had been fruitful and frank.  The Committee would develop concluding observations based on the dialogue, which would aid the State in the implementation of the Convention.

    In his concluding remarks, Mr. Vuelta Simon said that Monaco was a small State that tried to do things properly, on the same level as larger countries.  Some issues had been raised in the dialogue that the State party could make rapid progress on to promote the well-being of human beings, including detainees.  Monaco hoped to demonstrate this progress in its next review with the Committee.

    The delegation of Monaco consisted of representatives from the Directorate of Public Safety; Department of External Relations and Cooperation; Directorate of Legal Affairs; Directorate of Judicial Services; and the Permanent Mission of Monaco to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Committee will issue concluding observations on the report of Monaco at the end of its eighty-second session on 2 May.  Those, and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage.  Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 10 April at 3 p.m. to continue its examination of the fifth periodic report of Mauritius (CAT/C/MUS/5).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the seventh periodic report of Monaco (CAT/C/MCO/7).

    Presentation of Report

    SAMUEL VUELTA SIMON, Secretary of State for Justice, Director of Judicial Services of Mexico and head of the delegation, said human dignity was an absolute value that the Principality of Monaco was committed to protecting with determination. Monaco was committed to constantly improving its mechanisms for preventing and protecting against torture and inhuman treatment.  Since the submission of its first report in 1994, Monaco had continued its efforts to strengthen its legal and institutional framework, which had led to significant progress, both in terms of legislation and the implementation of concrete measures to guarantee ever more effective protection against all forms of violence.

    Monaco ensured that the legal framework was fully in line with its international commitments and that its texts were regularly adapted to better meet the requirements of the fight against torture and inhuman treatment.  The Constitution explicitly guaranteed respect for human dignity and prohibited any cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.  This absolute prohibition was reinforced by several provisions of the Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allowed for severe punishment for any act resembling torture or inhuman treatment. 

    The Principality had begun an in-depth study to incorporate into its domestic law a definition of torture that was fully in line with article one of the Convention. A legislative proposal currently being prepared would ensure that the crime of torture was imprescriptible.  It would also ensure the unenforceability of any hierarchical order invoked to justify it, and the absolute inadmissibility of evidence obtained under duress.  These measures would complement an already strict legal arsenal which severely punished acts of violence, especially when committed by a public official.

    Monaco also attached particular importance to supporting and providing reparation to victims. In 2023, it adopted an unprecedented compensation scheme for victims of serious crimes, including domestic violence and misdemeanours and crimes against minors, guaranteeing rapid and effective compensation to victims when the perpetrators were insolvent.  Courts had an obligation to inform victims of this possibility.

    In recent years, significant improvements had been made to Monaco’s prison to provide a more suitable living environment for inmates.  The renovation of the cells had made it possible to bring in more natural light, while a new exercise yard and an activity room had been set up.  A body scanner had recently been introduced to limit the use of body searches.  The visiting regime had been significantly improved, allowing inmates to benefit from three 90-minute visits per week, in addition to two daily 45-minute visits.

    The incarceration of minors remained an exceptional measure in Monaco.  Recent reforms had strengthened the juvenile justice system to promote the reintegration and well-being of young people in conflict with the law.  Anyone in police custody had the immediate right to information and the assistance of a lawyer, permanent judicial supervision, and audio-visual recording of interrogations, thus ensuring the transparency of proceedings.  Since 2022, the right to the assistance of a lawyer had been strengthened in the event of an extension of police custody. 

    The Monegasque Institute for the Training of the Judicial Professions, in collaboration with other specialised institutions, provided regular training to public security forces on international standards for the respect of fundamental rights. The public security forces were thus regularly made aware of good practices, particularly regarding the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty.

    Monaco ensured that respect for fundamental rights within its prison system was monitored. The Office of the High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights, Freedoms and Mediation played a key role in this system by providing detainees with direct access to report any allegations of ill-treatment.  Since the last review, a new right had been introduced allowing detainees to call the Office of the High Commissioner directly once a day, including when they were in a disciplinary cell.

    Monaco reaffirmed its total commitment to the fight against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.  While there was still room for improvement, the legislative, judicial and institutional advances put in place in recent years had made it possible to considerably strengthen the prevention, control and punishment of abuses.  Monaco would continue its efforts with determination to ensure that respect for human dignity was never compromised.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    ABDERRAZAK ROUWANE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur, expressed regret regarding the absence of civil society participants in the dialogue.  Why were they absent?  What measures had the State party taken to harmonise national legislation on torture with the Convention?  The Committee had called on the State party to do so in each of its last six reviews. Could the delegation give some examples of court cases that had referenced the Convention or other United Nations human rights treaties?  The Committee was concerned about the statute of limitations on torture crimes, the lack of specific provisions in the Criminal Code imposing an absolute prohibition of torture, and the lack of clear mechanisms protecting subordinates from being forced to carry out unlawful orders.

    What measures had been taken to ensure that detainees enjoyed all basic legal rights from the outset of deprivation of liberty?  The Committee had called on the State party to amend legislation that allowed police officers to prevent detainees from contacting a family member if such communication was considered detrimental to investigations.  Had this been done?  Did victims benefit from legal aid in cases involving allegations of torture or ill-treatment?

    What steps had been taken to promote the accreditation of the Office of the High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights, Freedoms and Mediation under the Paris Principles?  The Office did not have a specific mandate to protect against human rights violations, including torture and ill-treatment, and it did not have the competence to conduct investigations, publish studies or formulate opinions on draft legislation on its own initiative.  Could the delegation comment on this?  Why had the State party decided not to ratify the Optional Protocol and set up a national preventive mechanism against torture?

    The Committee congratulated Monaco on having ratified a significant number of human rights instruments within the framework of the United Nations system and the Council of Europe.  Would it ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention for the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families?

    The Committee noted positive amendments to the law on the status of the judiciary to strengthen the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, which had enabled the Council to take up disciplinary matters on its own.  However, the Council’s role in appointing judges had not been increased and its activity report was not made public.  The Director of Judicial Services, part of the executive, chaired the High Council and could appoint and suspend judges and magistrates directly.  The Prosecutor General and the magistrates of the Public Prosecutor’s Office were also under the direct authority of the Director. Was this not interference by the executive in the affairs of justice?  How would the State party ensure the full independence of the judiciary, including in matters related to appointment and disciplinary measures?

    Could the State party provide updated data on extraditions, asylum applications, and the number of appeals against asylum decisions?  The Committee noted that refugees enjoyed the rights provided for in the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees.  However, there was a lack of clarity regarding the asylum process and safeguards offered, and uncertainty surrounding the procedure for cooperation between the State party and the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons.  Would the State party implement a mechanism to follow up on asylum seekers’ cases with the Office?  What measures were in place to domesticate an asylum assessment procedure?  Could the State party provide information on extradition cases and requests made for mutual legal assistance related to international cases involving torture?

    A large number of foreigners living in neighbouring countries were working informally in Monaco and were at risk of trafficking.  How was the State party combatting trafficking in persons, raising awareness of the issue, and training the judiciary on it?  What measures were in place to strengthen the identification of trafficking victims?  What tools were available to public officials to guide the identification of child victims of trafficking?

    The Committee had previously called for the strengthening of training for the judiciary and prison officials on the Convention and the revised Istanbul Protocol of 2022.  What measures would the State party take to train officials who were in contact with persons deprived of liberty on the absolute prohibition of torture?  Were there any monitoring mechanisms in places of deprivation of liberty?

    ERDOGAN ISCAN, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur, commended the recent progress by the State presented in the opening statement.  The Committee noted that the remand prison of Monaco had recently been extended, its facilities upgraded, and the visit regime improved.  However, there were limits to the extent to which the prison could be expanded due to its location, and the prison reportedly remained unsuitable for prolonged detention due to its limited natural light and lack of space for activities.  What further steps would be taken to improve prison conditions?

    Some inmates continued to be transferred to French prisons, and the State party lacked oversight of places of deprivation of liberty in France.  There was no formalised legal procedure for recording prisoners’ consent and requests regarding transfers.  Would one be created?  How many Monegasque prisoners were currently serving sentences in French prisons? Which State was responsible for ensuring legal safeguards for these prisoners?  Did they have access to lawyers and could they maintain social connections in Monaco?  How would the State party ensure this right?  Which State conducted investigations in cases of complaints by these prisoners?  Had the State party considered expanding the capacity of its prison system to allow inmates to remain in Monaco?

    Did current legislation prohibit corporal punishment in all settings, including homes and educational institutions? Were awareness raising campaigns or training programmes on corporal punishment for parents and childcare professionals planned?  Minors under age 13 could not be detained but could be held in police custody for up to 24 hours in criminal cases.  Could the delegation provide data on minors in police custody?  Would the State party consider revising legislation to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least 14 years of age?

    Had the State party made progress in adopting legislation that provided full redress to victims of torture? Would it consider scaling up its support to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture, and had it updated legislation to ensure that statements obtained through torture were made null and void?

    The Committee noted with satisfaction measures taken by the State party to prevent and combat violence against women, including revision of the Criminal Code and awareness raising campaigns. What protection measures were in place for foreign women who were victims of violence, and what resources were devoted to programmes and measures to combat violence against women?

    Reportedly, conditions in closed psychiatric units in the Princess Grace Hospital were good, but improvements were needed regarding prolonged hospitalisation and treatment of minors and detainees requiring psychiatric care.  Was the State party addressing this?

    Another Committee Expert asked whether the Convention was directly applicable in Monaco.  How were potential conflicts between the Convention and domestic legislation resolved?

    One Committee Expert asked how many prisoners were serving in Monaco.  What happened to prisoners who did not consent to being transferred to French prisons?  Could the delegation clarify whether consent was needed to conduct transfers?

    A Committee Expert said domestic law on trafficking was sound, but the State party needed to strengthen the training of law enforcement officials, social workers, medical staff and the public on identifying victims of trafficking.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the Director of Judicial Services was also the Secretary of State for Justice, which, as a member of the judiciary, was not part of the executive branch of Government but fell under the authority of the Prince.  The judiciary was guaranteed security of tenure and independence.  The Secretary of State for Justice gave generalised guidance to the judiciary that was consistent with State policies, but prosecutors were free to speak independently in carrying out their work.

    Monaco’s territory was only two square kilometres.  Its small size made it necessary to turn to France for assistance for managing prisoners. There were only six prosecutors and 22 jurists who worked with legislators to develop legal texts.  Some 39,000 people lived in Monaco but only 9,000 had citizenship.

    The Supreme Council of the Judiciary was made up of two elected judges and five judges appointed by the Council itself.  Both the Secretary of State for Justice and the Supreme Council could take up cases of discipline of judges.  The Supreme Council selected candidates for judicial posts and had a special budget guaranteeing its independence.  Training was provided to newly appointed judges and prosecutors through French institutions; approximately two-thirds of judges had been seconded from France.  A draft law had been developed that would create a reserve pool of judges to strengthen the domestic availability of judges.

    Monaco had a dualist system.  The Prince signed and ratified international treaties, with authorisation by the National Council.  Sovereign ordinances were used to allow for international treaties to be directly invoked before national courts.  There were cases in which the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention of Human Rights had been invoked. The Constitution had the highest status in the domestic legal order, followed by international treaties, which took precedence over domestic legislation.

    The Constitution expressly prohibited torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.  Acts of torture committed in offences of sexual aggression, terrorism and abduction were considered to be aggravated crimes. Monaco’s judicial services had limited capacity, but aimed to establish a stand-alone offence of torture in line with article one of the Convention through a draft law that was currently before the legislature.  Serious crimes committed against minors had a statute of limitations of 30 years, which started when the victim reached the age of majority.  Monaco’s law imposed an absolute prohibition of torture; it was impossible to justify acts of torture in any circumstances.  Hierarchical superiors were held accountable for illegal orders to carry out acts of torture, as were agents who carried out such orders.  Subordinates who refused to obey illegal orders were not disciplined or considered to have committed a crime.

    There was one case of trafficking against a minor in which the court had referenced the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in its ruling.  The scope of the criminalisation of trafficking had been broadened to address domestic trafficking cases that did not involve organised crime.  Trafficking that endangered victims’ lives, trafficking of minors, and trafficking by public officials or members of organised criminal groups were considered aggravating circumstances.

    Police custody was always recorded and was subject to court oversight; examining magistrates could end police custody at any point.  All persons in police custody were informed of the reasons of their detention and their rights, including the right to access a lawyer from the beginning of custody. All persons who earned less than 20,000 euros per year were entitled to free legal aid.  Detainees could request a medical examination at any point.  The State party intended to regulate the grounds under which the Prosecutor General could restrict detainees’ right to contact a relative.  Hearings were filmed and could be conducted in the presence of a legal counsel. Criminal investigative officers needed to record the time of detention and other details relating to the detention, including reasons for refusals of detainees’ rights.

    Minors under 13 could not be placed in police custody unless they committed an offence that carried a five-year prison sentence.  Hearings of minors needed to be conducted with a lawyer present.  Police custody of minors was typically 12 hours but could be extended to 24 hours in criminal cases with the permission of a judge.

    Legislation on the High Commissioner for the Protection of Rights and Mediation had been revised to bring the institution in line with the Paris Principles.  The law allowed the High Commissioner to carry out surveys and provide recommendations related to combatting discrimination, protecting human rights, and implementing international conventions.  It also strengthened the High Commissioner’s investigative powers and gave the body powers to defend the rights of the child. Steps had been taken to promote registration of the institution by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions.  Since 2022, detainees were able to contact the High Commissioner directly by telephone, in addition to through written communications.  Monaco had installed a body scanning machine in its prison after detainees’ complaints to the High Commissioner regarding body searches.

    Civil society in Monaco was very active. As there had been no demonstrated cases of torture in the State for almost a century, there were no non-governmental organizations working on the issue.  The High Commissioner’s mandate had recently been expanded and it was now recruiting staff to address its new functions.  In future, the High Commissioner could be able to participate in reviews by the Committee.

    Ratifying the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance was not a priority for the State.  The State party tried to align its legislation with international instruments before ratifying them, which caused delays in ratification.  There were no cases of enforced disappearance in Monaco. 

    An impact study on the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture had been carried out.  There was only one detention facility in Monaco, which was already reviewed by international monitoring mechanisms. There had been no complaints regarding ill-treatment or poor conditions.  Ratifying the Optional Protocol was not a top priority for the Government but could be done in future.  Monaco made voluntary contributions to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, but did not envisage providing contributions to the Voluntary Fund for the Victims of Torture.

    Refugees fell under ordinary law for entry and stay in Monaco.  They received 10-year residence permits.  The State currently hosted 23 refugees.  Monaco respected the principle of non-refoulement.  Asylum seekers whose claims were rejected were not immediately removed, unless they posed a threat to public safety.  The Government called on the relevant French authority to assess asylum claims.  Refusals of asylum claims were always explained and could be appealed before the relevant court.  The overseas diplomatic presence of Monaco in countries of origin for asylum seekers was limited.

    When the Ukraine conflict began in 2022, Monaco established a system providing temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens who had lived in Monaco prior to the establishment of the system. Currently, around 50 Ukrainians held the temporary protection permit, which allowed them to access health, education and other social services.  Many holders of this permit had since gained residency permits.

    The State party had not received any requests for mutual legal assistance or handled any international cases involving torture.  It had received one extradition request, which Monaco’s court of appeal rejected due to concerns about human rights protections.

    In 2020, two people were transferred to French prisons, while one person was transferred in 2023 and another in 2024; there were two requests in 2025 that were being assessed.  Transfer requests to France were typically made by French citizens.  All requests for prison transfers were made in writing by the detainees themselves. The State party would consider formalising this procedure.  There were no difficulties in transfers to France; French authorities cooperated with transfer procedures and guaranteed detainees’ rights.  Requests for transfers to other countries were considered based on respect for detainees’ rights.

    The national human rights institution received and investigated written complaints from detainees.  There was also an internal oversight body within the police force that could be called on by the judiciary to investigate police officers accused of human rights violations.  Complaints made to the Prosecutor-General triggered judicial proceedings.  Legal assistance was available for persons who filed for civil damages.  A compensation mechanism had been set up for victims of serious offences who could not be compensated by the perpetrator. Compensation covered damages and court costs.  State compensation could also be provided to persons who were placed in pre-trial detention before being released or acquitted.

    The State party had adopted a law on school bullying and harassment, and the Criminal Code prohibited and punished corporal punishment, including in school and family settings.  Teaching staff and other school staff underwent annual training on identifying and addressing harassment of children. Schools needed to implement awareness raising initiatives to combat harassment and bullying.

    Incarceration and pre-trial detention of children were last resort measures.  Judges could determine alternatives to prosecution of minor offenders, including provisional releases, reparation for victims, community service, and training within social health institutions.  Judges could also order minors to be placed in the Foyer d’Enfance, from which they were free to come and go.  In 2020, five minors were charged, of whom none were detained; in 2021, seven minors were charged and only one was placed in pre-trial detention for one month and 20 days; and in 2022, out of the 15 minors who were charged, only two were placed in pre-trial detention.

    The age of criminal responsibility in Monaco was 13 years.  None of the 15 minor offenders in 2022 were aged 13.  The State party would consider raising the age threshold and revising the legal status of minors in the country.

    Considerable progress had been made since 2020 in improving the detention facility.  The State had installed cells with better access to natural light, a games room, a new exercise yard, and air conditioning and heating facilities within cells.  Exercise and folding laundry were no longer mandatory, televisions did not need to be switched off at certain times, and the State no longer imposed solitary confinement on detainees.

    Women and child victims of violence were supported by the Directorate for Social Assistance.  A protocol for care of victims of domestic violence had been established.  Health care professionals were trained in caring for victims and managing perpetrators when they accompanied them.  Victims were provided with shelter in emergencies when they could not stay with friends or family.  They were entitled to medical care, psychological assistance, and legal advice.

    The employment service verified working conditions for migrant workers and the labour inspectorate carried out numerous checks to ensure that workers’ rights were being respected.  Officials held interviews with applicants for residence and work permits to detect risks of trafficking.  To date, 96 public officials had received training on identifying and treating victims of trafficking.

    Members of the judiciary were obliged to attend at least five days of training per year either locally or in France, which addressed human rights and international and European norms.  The State sought to ensure that the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights were incorporated in domestic legislation as soon as possible.

    Training of police officers lasted 10 months.  It stressed the rights of apprehended persons, including the right to be protected from violence, inhumane and degrading treatment.  All police officers had to abide by the code of professional ethnics and respect the dignity of persons.  They were trained on ethical means of restraint, bodily searches, the use of reasonable force, and the prohibition of torture.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    ABDERRAZAK ROUWANE, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the Committee welcomed that there were no cases of torture in Monaco, but this could not be used as an excuse for not ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention.  Crimes needed to be legislated for regardless of their prevalence. A national preventive mechanism would be mandated to investigate all places of deprivation of liberty, including the psychiatric hospital and airports.  It would be fantastic if a European country could ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.  Many of the 63,000 workers in Monaco were migrant workers who needed legal protection.

    Could detainees from Monaco be transferred to French prisons?  When there were criminal prosecutions of perpetrators, were alleged victims entitled to legal assistance?  Did the State party intend to provide the Supreme Council of the Judiciary with further independence?

    ERDOGAN ISCAN, Committee Vice-Chair and Country Co-Rapporteur, said the dialogue had been constructive. Even if there was limited scope for implementing the Optional Protocol, ratification would set a positive example for other States.  Some 42 of the 46 members of the Council of Europe had ratified the Optional Protocol. Did the State party plan to remove its reservation to article 30 of the Convention.  Member States needed to continue to support the treaty body system in a sustainable manner.  What was Monaco’s position on this?

    Another Committee Expert asked whether Monaco had adopted measures addressing trade in equipment used to inflict pain and suffering.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State party was not closing the door on ratifying the Optional Protocol; it was still considering the option.  However, it attached greater importance to the main international human rights instruments.  Impact assessment studies on these instruments took time due to the State’s limited resources.

    There were around 60,000 cross-border workers travelling from France or Italy to Monaco every day.  They were entitled to the rights embodied by Monaco’s labour laws.

    The Convention against Torture had been rendered executory by a sovereign ordinance.  It took precedence over domestic legislation.  The State party was also considering domestic legislation that would define torture in line with the Convention.

    Legal aid lasted from the beginning to the end of legal proceedings.

    There was no transfer of Monaco citizens to foreign prisons.  Transfers were only for foreign detainees who had requested a transfer back to their country of origin; such transfers were essentially humanitarian.

    The Supreme Council of the Judiciary promoted the independence of the judiciary.  It drew mostly on the French model.  The Secretary of State for Justice was responsible for appointing and promoting judges, but the Supreme Council approved appointments and promotions and could take up disciplinary cases on its own initiative.

    Concluding Remarks

    CLAUDE HELLER, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had been fruitful and frank.  The Committee would develop concluding observations based on the dialogue, which would aid the State in the implementation of the Convention. The Committee did not judge States based on their size; it treated them all equally.

    SAMUEL VUELTA SIMON, Secretary of State for Justice of Monaco, Director of Judicial Services and head of the delegation, thanked the Committee for the dialogue.  Monaco was a small State that tried to do things properly, on the same level as larger countries, though staff numbers made this difficult.  The State tried to respond as best it could to its realities.  Monaco welcomed the Committee’s advice and relevant questions. Some issues had been raised that the State party could make rapid progress on to promote the well-being of human beings, including detainees.  Monaco hoped to demonstrate this progress in its next review with the Committee.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CAT25.002E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President calls for holistic overhaul of policing

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President calls for holistic overhaul of policing

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a bold, coordinated, and community-driven approach to crime-fighting, describing policing in South Africa as being at a crossroads that demands urgent reform and collaboration from across all sectors of society.

    The President was delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Policing Summit held in Ekurhuleni on Tuesday. 

    President Ramaphosa applauded the Ministry of Police for convening what he termed a “critical” gathering, which brings together government, civil society, business, interfaith groups, labour, and communities to reshape the country’s safety and security strategy.

    “Safeguarding our nation’s safety and security requires that we are proactive, innovative and solution-oriented in our approach… Just as crime is an all-of-society problem, overcoming crime must be an all-of-society effort.

    “In doing so, we must marshall our full support behind the hardworking men and women of the South African Police Service,” the President said. 

    The President said crime has a direct impact on the economy, as it discourages investment, disrupts business activity and leads to increased security costs for companies. 

    He noted that social ills such as poverty and inequality, unemployment, lack of opportunity, patriarchy and misogyny, and broken family structures are just some of the issues that contribute to crime and criminality. 

    “Addressing crime without understanding its root causes is like a doctor treating a patient for a fever without diagnosing the underlying illness. 
     
    “It is therefore encouraging that this summit has as one of its key objectives adopting a more holistic approach to law-enforcement, encompassing not just the police but the entire policing system,” the President said. 

    The President emphasised that policing must be grounded in the Batho Pele principles of service delivery, which include respect, empathy, accessibility, and accountability. 

    He said that the policing terrain of today is complex and multi-faceted and the police strive to fulfil their mandate in the context of emerging threats. 
     
    These threats, he said, include transnational organised crime, illegal mining, extortion syndicates, the theft of economic infrastructure, money laundering and terror financing. 
     
    “And yet, even in this extremely challenging environment, the South African Police Service continues to register successes in fighting crime in its various operations,” the president said.

    Restoring public trust 

    The President warned that restoring public trust in the police is critical to winning the fight against crime.

    “We need to improve the relationships between the police and the communities they serve. We need to work to improve the morale of SAPS members, many of whom are battling heavy workloads, insufficient resources and outdated systems. 
     
    “Even as the SAPS budget has increased over the past ten years, the reality is that the number of police personnel has been declining while the country’s population has been growing,” the President said. 
     
    President Ramaphosa stressed that policing cannot succeed without the active involvement of communities. 

    He called for a stronger role for Community Policing Forums (CPFs), citizen empowerment, and partnerships with the private sector, which has already played a crucial role in equipping victim support centres and bolstering frontline capacity.

    “We know that communities are the most potent resource for fighting crime. Crimes happen in communities and criminals are often known to communities. 
     
    “From this summit we need a clear plan on how to better involve communities in crime prevention and detection, and on harnessing the potential of CPFs in line with relevant legislation and regulations,” he said. 
     
    The role of technology and data

    The President welcomed and backed the focus of the summit on exploring the role of technology in modern policing, investigation and intelligence.

    “We need to harness modern technologies to support crime-fighting. Technology is particularly crucial when analysing crime trends and patterns. It is also valuable in empowering citizens,” President Ramaphosa said.

    He further advocated for applying a socio-economic lens to crime data to better tailor responses for example, by examining links between substance abuse and robbery, or alcohol abuse and gender-based violence.

    “Data plays a pivotal role in policing and law-enforcement. And we need to apply a socio-economic lens when analysing such data. The data may tell us, for example, about a community with a high prevalence of housebreaking and robbery, in which substance abuse is also rife. 
     
    “Understanding the connections revealed by this data should inform the approach to policing in that community. There is ample data on the linkages between alcohol abuse and the prevalence of gender-based violence,” the President said.

    He added that a holistic policing approach would, for example, need to involve working with local authorities to enforce municipal by-laws for establishments selling alcohol. 

    As part of facilitating access to SAPS services, the President said it is encouraging that discussions are planned for how to leverage innovative digital platforms such as mobile apps, online reporting systems and virtual communication channels to improve the public’s interaction with the police. 
     
    “To turn the tide against crime, we need better collaboration among the different agencies in the law-enforcement space,” he said.

    The President further highlighted that there is a proliferation of organised crime in South Africa, including the manufacture of illicit drugs, kidnapping for ransom and money laundering. 

    He said this is taking place alongside a growth in illegal mining, extortion in the construction sector, and the theft of public infrastructure.
     
    Addressing corruption

    The President urged police to stay away from corrupt activities, stressing that corruption has infiltrated every part of society, including the SAPS. 

    He said while prosecuting corrupt officers is important, it is equally crucial to instil a culture of honesty and integrity within the police service. 

    The President emphasised the need to strengthen the fundamentals of policing through ethics, accountability, and professionalism. 

    He expressed hope that the summit would focus on promoting ethical conduct, restoring public trust in law enforcement, and upholding the rule of law. 

    Key initiatives include protecting whistleblowers, implementing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, and improving recruitment and training to attract the right calibre of candidates to the SAPS. 

    “If the SAPS is to fulfil its crucial mandate, we have to emerge from these few days with a clear plan on how to address the systemic deficiencies that are negatively impacting policing. 
     
    “As a country we owe the SAPS our full support. As government we remain committed to turning the tide against crime and to making our communities safer. 
     
    “It is our hope that the recommendations emerging from this summit translate into deeper collaboration, more effective methods and a promising future for policing in South Africa,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za

    DikelediM
    Tue, 04/08/2025 – 13:57

    1107 views

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Seven to appear in court for illegal mining

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    Seven suspects are expected to appear in court soon after they were nabbed following police operations in Limpopo.

    “Vala Umgodi Operations conducted in the Sekhukhune District in Limpopo led to the arrest of seven suspects for illegal mining of sand and possession of suspected precious minerals (raw Chrome), on Sunday, 06 April 2025, at [the] Nebo and Burgersfort Policing areas,” the South African Police Service (SAPS).

    In its statement on Tuesday, the SAPS said a 36-year-old man was arrested for the possession of suspected stolen precious minerals (raw chrome) at Spitzkop Farm in the Burgesfort policing area.

    “The suspect was found loading chrome in a yellow dumbbell truck. Another suspect aged 18 was arrested for contravention of immigration act in the area,” said the police.

    Additionally, five suspects aged between 28 and 51, were nabbed for illegal mining of sand on Sunday, 06 April 2025, at Ga-Marishane Village in the Nebo policing area. 

    Members of Vala Umgodi Operation conducted a disruptive operation at the area when a group of people were noticed loading sand into a white leyman truck. Police confiscated three shovels and the truck that was loaded with sand.

    “The suspects will appear before the local magistrate’s court soon. Police investigations are ongoing,” said the SAPS.  –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Four murder suspects killed in shootout with police

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    Four suspects, who were wanted for cases of murder in the vicinity of Inanda, were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police on the M4 Highway in Umlazi on Tuesday afternoon.

    Police had gathered intelligence about the whereabouts of the wanted suspects, and when police pounced on them at a mall in Umlazi, the suspects sped off. 

    “When the police caught up with them, the suspects fired shots towards the police. To protect themselves and other road users, police returned fire,” the South African Police Service said in a statement. 

    During the shootout, four suspects were shot and fatally wounded. No police officer sustained any injuries during the shootout.

    “The suspects were found in possession of three firearms. The four suspects were wanted for at least three cases of murder in Inanda, two of which were double murders. The murders were committed in March and April 2025,” the police said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chairs meeting with Odisha Chief Minister, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, in New Delhi to review implementation of three New Criminal Laws in the State

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chairs meeting with Odisha Chief Minister, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, in New Delhi to review implementation of three New Criminal Laws in the State

    Odisha government should prioritize the 100% implementation of the New Criminal Laws across all levels of administration for the next six months

    Next decade is crucial for the development of Odisha; considering the state’s future industrial and technological growth, New Criminal Laws will play a vital role in strengthening law & order

    State’s Home Secretary should review the progress of implementing the New Criminal Laws once a week, Chief Secretary and DGP should review it every 15 days, and the Chief Minister should review on a monthly basis, setting a timeline for their implementation in the state

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 8:42PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chaired a review meeting on the implementation of three new criminal laws in Odisha, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi, in New Delhi today. The meeting reviewed the implementation and present status of various new provisions related to police, prisons, courts, prosecution, and forensics in Odisha. The meeting was attended by the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary and Director General of Police of Odisha, the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), the Director, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and other senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the government of Odisha.

     

     

    During the meeting, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, said that the Odisha government should prioritize 100% implementation of the new criminal laws across all levels of administration for the next six months.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the next decade is crucial for the development of an emerging state like Odisha. Considering the state’s future industrial and technological growth, he highlighted that the three new criminal laws will play a vital role in strengthening the law and order.

     

    Union Home Minister said that the state’s Home Secretary should review the progress of implementing new criminal laws on a weekly basis and the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police should review it fortnightly and the Chief Minister should review on a monthly basis, prioritizing the timelines of implementation.

    *****

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM to visit Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on 11th April

    Source: Government of India

    PM to visit Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on 11th April

    PM to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various development projects worth over Rs 3,880 crore in Varanasi

    Special focus of projects: road, electricity, education, tourism

    PM to present Geographical Indication (GI) certificates to newly registered local items and products

    PM to perform darshan and pooja at Guru Ji Maharaj Temple in Isagarh, Madhya Pradesh

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 9:43PM by PIB Delhi

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on 11th April. He will travel to Varanasi and at around 11 AM, he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various development projects worth over Rs 3,880 crore. He will also address a public meeting.

    Thereafter he will travel to Madhya Pradesh and at around 3:15 PM, he will perform darshan and pooja at Guru Ji Maharaj Temple in Isagarh. Further, at around 4:15 PM, he will participate in a public programme at Anandpur Dham and address the gathering on the occasion.

    PM in Uttar Pradesh

    Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various development projects worth over Rs 3,880 crore in Varanasi. In line with his commitment to infrastructure development, particularly enhancing road connectivity in Varanasi, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for various road projects in the region. Furthermore, he will lay the foundation stone for a road bridge between Varanasi Ring Road and Sarnath, flyovers at Bhikharipur and Manduadih crossings of the city and a highway underpass road tunnel on NH-31 at the Varanasi International Airport worth over Rs 980 crore.

    Giving a boost to the electricity infrastructure, Prime Minister will inaugurate two 400 KV and one 220 KV transmission substations and associated transmission lines of Jaunpur, Chandauli and Ghazipur districts of Varanasi division worth over Rs 1,045 crore. He will also lay the foundation stone of a 220 KV transmission substation at Chaukaghat, Varanasi, a 132 KV transmission substation in Ghazipur and augmentation of the Varanasi city electricity distribution system worth over Rs 775 crore.

    Prime Minister will inaugurate a Transit Hostel at the Police Line and barracks at PAC Ramnagar Campus, to improve facilities for the security personnel. He will also lay the foundation stone of new administrative buildings at various police stations and a residential hostel in Police Line.

    In line with his vision to ensure education for all, Prime Minister will inaugurate projects including a Government Polytechnic College at Pindra, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Government College at village Barki, 356 rural libraries and 100 Anganwadi centres also. He will also lay the foundation stone for renovation of 77 primary school buildings under the Smart City Mission and the construction of a new building for Kasturba Gandhi School at Cholapur, Varanasi. Promoting sports infrastructure in the city, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for a synthetic hockey turf with floodlights and spectator gallery at Uday Pratap College and a mini stadium at Shivpur.

    Prime Minister will also inaugurate the redevelopment of Samne Ghat and Shastri Ghat at Ganga river, 130 rural drinking water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission worth over Rs 345 crore, improvement of six municipal wards of Varanasi and landscaping and sculpture installations at various sites of Varanasi.

    Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for MSME Unity Mall for artisans, infrastructure development works of Transport Nagar Scheme at Mohansarai, 1 MW solar power plant at WTP Bhelupur, Community halls in 40 Gram panchayats and beautification of various parks in Varanasi.

    Prime Minister will also handover Ayushman Vay Vandana cards to first time benefitting senior citizens over 70 years. He will present Geographical Indication (GI) certificates to various local items and products including  tabla, painting, thandai, tiranga barfi among others. He will also transfer over Rs 105 crore bonus to milk suppliers of Uttar Pradesh associated with Banas Dairy.

    PM in Madhya Pradesh

    In line with his commitment to furthering the cultural and spiritual heritage of India, Prime Minister will visit Anandpur Dham of Isagarh Tehsil in the Ashoknagar district in Madhya Pradesh. He will perform darshan and pooja at Guru Ji Maharaj Temple. He will also tour the temple complex at Anandpur Dham.

    Anandpur Dham has been established for spiritual and philanthropic purposes. Spanning 315 hectares, it houses a modern gaushala (cowshed) with over 500 cows and runs agricultural activities under Shri Anandpur Trust campus. The trust has been operating a charitable hospital in Sukhpur village, schools in Sukhpur and Anandpur and various Satsang Centers across the country.

     

    ***

    MJPS/SR

    (Release ID: 2120622) Visitor Counter : 52

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CSD holds national security education student forum and premieres national security microfilm (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Correctional Services Department (CSD) today (April 9) held a national security education student forum at Queen Elizabeth Stadium and premiered a national security education microfilm produced by the CSD. The Acting Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk, was the officiating guest. Other guests included Deputy Director-General of the Police Liaison Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government (CPG) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Xie Wei; Deputy Director of the liaison office of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR Mr Xie Zhixiang; and the Commissioner of Correctional Services, Mr Wong Kwok-hing.
     
    More than 1 600 teachers and students from 29 schools, principals, parent-teacher association members, members of Fight Crime Committees, members of the Committee on Community Support for Rehabilitated Offenders, and various community partners of the CSD attended the forum.
     
    To raise public awareness of safeguarding national security, the CSD produced two national security education microfilms, namely “Momentary Glory” and “Unfailing Love”. Adapted from real cases, the microfilms feature stories of teenagers who were incited to commit illegal acts which endanger national security, and paid a heavy price in the end. Through the microfilms, the CSD hopes to enhance the public’s ability to think critically and discerningly, and raise their awareness of abiding by the law.
     
    Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Cheuk said that the CSD has shouldered the mission of safeguarding national security and has taken initiatives to go beyond the prison walls to actively promote community crime prevention education to nurture young people to become a new generation that loves the country and Hong Kong, are law-abiding citizens and have a positive mindset. The microfilm “Momentary Glory”, shown at today’s forum, portrays the heavy price of committing crimes that endanger national security. He hoped that students can understand that they should think twice before they act and not to commit any crimes to avoid lifelong regrets.
     
         The forum also featured a video clip of the real protagonist in the microfilm. In the video, he shared his emotional journey of repentance and feelings after being misled into committing illegal acts and ultimately being sentenced to imprisonment. There was also an interactive session in the forum, allowing students to express their views on the microfilm to inspire them to think from different perspectives. Moreover, the CSD arranged for rehabilitated persons to talk about the cost they had to pay for committing crimes and their rehabilitation experiences, reminding students to determine the authenticity of information and refrain from engaging in illegal activities.
     
    The two microfilms will be uploaded to various official media platforms of the CSD and the Education Bureau on National Security Education Day on April 15 to convey messages of safeguarding national security to more students and the public.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government cautions public against online video about investment plan purported to be recommended by CE

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government cautions public against online video about investment plan purported to be recommended by CE 
    The spokesman strongly condemned those who have attempted to distribute fake investment advice in the name of the Chief Executive. The incident has been referred to the Police for a follow-up investigation.
    Issued at HKT 18:34

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Virginia Man Charged with Possession of an Unregistered Firearm After Attempting to Take Flashbang Grenade Through Airport Security

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Morgantown, West Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Zachary Vincent Velling, 26, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment and public information from the Allegheny County Police Department, on November 12, 2024, Velling entered airport security at the Pittsburgh International Airport and placed his carry-on luggage through the x-ray machine. Representatives with the Transportation Security Administration noticed a suspicious object within Velling’s luggage, which officers from the Allegheny County Police Department ultimately determined to be a MK24 MOD 0,6 Bang/Flash diversionary hand grenade. The grenade is a firearm and destructive device under federal law that was not registered to Velling in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Velling was previously charged in relation to this incident in the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas with possession of an offensive weapon and criminal attempt. Those charges have been dismissed as a result of this federal Indictment.

    “Attempting to pass through airport security with any firearm or destructive device poses an unacceptable risk of harm to the innocent traveling public,” said Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. “This danger is heightened when, as in this case, the destructive device is possessed illegally. We are steadfast in our commitment to work with our partners at the FBI, ATF, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, and Transportation Security Administration to ensure safe air travel.”

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Allegheny County Police Department; Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office; and Transportation Security Administration conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arlington Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A man identified as a member/associate of the Heath Street Gang was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Cerone Davis, 31, of Arlington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2025, Davis pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.  

    On or about June 8, 2023, Davis was arrested on the grounds of the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, a public housing complex in Jamaica Plain, in possession of numerous individually packaged bags of fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Davis was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal conviction for distributing cocaine in the very same housing complex, and was specifically prohibited from being in that area.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Boston Housing Authority Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Monroe County Men Charged With Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eli Valentine Calero, age 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and John Charles Ehrhard, Jr., age 56, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were indicted yesterday, April 8, 2025, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the superseding indictment alleges that between May 2024 and March 2025, Calero and Ehrhard, Jr. conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.  The indictment alleges that during that time Ehrhard, Jr. distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions and possessed a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking, when he was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. The indictment further alleges that on March 12, 2025, Calero possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Man Guilty in Shooting at Social Club Which Left an NFL Prospect Paralyzed

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Roger Lee Jones, 42, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury, on April 7, 2025, of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and other related charges, for shooting a man in retaliation for an earlier dispute at a social club. The verdict was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and followed a two week trial.

                The jury also found Jones guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of simple assault, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of threats. Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025.

                According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 22, 2022, Victim 1 was working as a security guard at Kick Axe Throw Social located in Northeast, DC. Jones was a patron there with his ex-girlfriend and child’s mother, Victim 2. At the establishment, Jones got into an argument with Victim 2, took the keys to Victim 2’s vehicle, and left the bar with the keys.  After Jones left the bar, Victim 2 called Jones to ask for the return of her vehicle. 

                At approximately 12:10 a.m., Jones returned to the front of Kick Axe Throw Social where Victim 2 was waiting. Jones refused to return the keys or the vehicle, and then violently attacked Victim 2 by punching her multiple times in the face.  Security staff intervened and stopped Jones’s assault.  In response, Jones made threatening statements to the security staff, then left the scene in Victim 2’s vehicle. Victim 1 was not one of the security staff who broke up the fight.

                After leaving Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones called an accomplice, who drove to the defendant’s location. Jones and the accomplice then drove back to Kick Axe using the accomplice’s vehicle. 

                Meanwhile, Victim 2 traveled to her home and called Jones to again ask him to return her vehicle. Jones replied by telling Victim 2 to stay where she was and that he was coming to kill her. 

                At 1:07 a.m., as Victim 1 was standing by the trunk of his car preparing to leave Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones approached Victim 1 from behind and fired seven shots at him from close range. Victim 1 suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and back and was paralyzed immediately from the waist down. Prior to the incident, Victim 1 was a National Football League (NFL) prospect. The defendant and the accomplice then fled the scene in the accomplice’s vehicle.

                At approximately 1:54 a.m., as police officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were assisting Victim 2 by her residence, Victim 2 and the officers spotted her vehicle being operated with its headlights off.  Officers immediately began to follow the vehicle with emergency equipment activated, but Jones refused to comply with officer commands to stop the vehicle. Jones was able to make good his escape.

                Jones was identified through surveillance footage, cell phone tracking data, vehicle data, and ballistics evidence linking the gun used in this incident to a shooting committed on February 19, 2022, by the accomplice.

                In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Dunn and Benjamin Helfand, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Travis Wolf, who prosecuted the case at trial. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Guilty at Trial of Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MACON, Ga. – A Baldwin County man with a prior aggravated assault conviction, who had a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense standoff with deputies, was found guilty by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm this week.

    Dormaine Mitchell, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 8, following a two-day trial that began on April 7. Mitchell faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.

    “We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident and thankful to the officers who effectively managed a tense and dangerous situation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue justice against repeat offenders who disregard federal law and illegally possess firearms.”

    “A prohibited person in possession of stolen firearms is a clear and present danger to our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division. “We are incredibly grateful for the courage and quick action of our law enforcement partners who responded to this high-risk situation. Their dedication ensured a safe outcome for everyone involved. ATF is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners as we work together to protect the public and pursue justice.”

    “Law enforcement has a strong footprint in Baldwin County, and this case demonstrates the positive outcomes resulting from the collaboration between the Sheriff’s Department and our federal partners,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy observed the defendant driving erratically by running off the side of the road and into oncoming traffic on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on Oct. 13, 2022. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, had a strong smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Mitchell told the officer he did not have weapons in the car. However, when Mitchell reached for his wallet, the officer saw the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol sticking out from between the driver’s seat and the center console. The officer pulled her weapon and commanded Mitchell to put his hands on the steering wheel. The officer then saw Mitchell lower his right hand. The officer called for backup, took cover and gave verbal commands. At some point during their encounter, Mitchell moved the firearm and placed it on the passenger seat of the vehicle. More officers arrived, and Mitchell was taken into custody. While Mitchell was escorted to the police car, he told the officer, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.” Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, are investigating the case.

    Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Ship Harbour — Update: RCMP arrests woman involved in hate motivated crime in Lower Ship Harbour

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has arrested a woman involved in a hate motived crime that occurred in Lower Ship Harbour.

    On March 25, at approximately 11:10 a.m., RCMP officers received a report of mischief at a residential property on West Ship Harbour Rd. The mischief is considered to be motivated by hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

    As a result of the investigation and information from the pubic, a 64-year-old woman from Dartmouth was identified as being involved in the incident. She was arrested on April 6 and will be facing a charge of Mischief.

    The woman was later released and is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on May 12 at 9:30 a.m.

    File #: 25-40728

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Natuashish — Natuashish RCMP investigates residential arson, seeks public’s assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Natuashish RCMP is investigating a residential arson that occurred on April 9, 2025. Police are seeking information from the public.

    Shortly after 2:15 a.m. today, Natuashish RCMP received a report of a residence on fire on Pokue Street in Natuashish and attended the scene to find the home fully engulfed in flames. The owner was not at home when the fire started. Evidence gathered as part of the investigation suggests that the fire was intentionally set.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Natuashish RCMP asks the public to check for any available surveillance footage in the area of Pokue Street around the time of the fire and to report any suspicious activity or information about this incident to the detachment by calling (709)-478-8900. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Missouri Individuals Charged with Dealing Firearms without a License and Other Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for dealing in firearms without a license and other offense.

    A California, Missouri Man Indicted for Dealing Firearms without a License and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm

    According to an indictment returned this week, Aubrey Foxworthy, 81, of California, Missouri, was charged with dealing firearms in Morgan and Moniteau Counties from approximately June 2, 2023 through September 9, 2024.  He did not have a federal firearms license to deal firearms.  Foxworthy was also charged with possession of a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and that rifle was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

    A Popular Bluff, Missouri Man Indicted for Dealing Firearms without a License

    According to an indictment returned this week, Philip Leroy Rains, 75, of Popular Bluff, Missouri, was charged with dealing firearms in Morgan County from approximately April 1, 2023 through April 4, 2024.  He did not have a federal firearms license to deal firearms.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    Under federal statutes, if convicted of dealing in firearms without a license, a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of up to $250,000 is authorized.  Under federal statutes, if convicted of possession of an unregistered firearm, a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000 is authorized.  The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson City Police Department, and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Allston Man Charged with Allegedly Trafficking “Date Rape” Drug and Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – An Allston man has been indicted for trafficking methamphetamine and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO), an analogue of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) – more commonly known as the “date rape drug” – out of his Allston home.

    Peter Schiepers, 32, is charged with one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute Butanediol (an analogue of GHB); and two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Schiepers was arraigned yesterday.

    According to the charging documents, in November 2024, law enforcement received information that Schiepers was supplying methamphetamine in and around the Boston area. Between November 2024 and February 2025, a cooperating source conducted multiple controlled purchases allegedly from Schiepers.

    Specifically, in January 2025, it is alleged that Schiepers conducted a transaction for one ounce of methamphetamine. In February 2025 he allegedly sold four ounces of methamphetamine and a liter of BDO. Schiepers allegedly told an undercover officer that he received the BDO in Chinese shampoo bottles and that he also used an application that allowed him to anonymously send some shipments to hotels and convenience stores nearby.
     
    The charge of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen D. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John O. Wray of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Worcester Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his involvement in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.

    Luis Torres, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. The Court also entered a judgement of forfeiture of $26,480 in cash. In June 2024, Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2022.

    Torres conspired with others to coordinate delivery of a package from Puerto Rico known by him to contain 4 – 6 kilograms of cocaine and to take possession of the cocaine with the intent to distribute it. In June 2022, law enforcement intercepted the package and executed a controlled delivery during which another individual accepted the package while Torres sat in a nearby car. Torres was arrested at the scene and $26,480 in cash was recovered.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED TO 46 MONTHS’ FEDERAL PRISON FOR REENTRY OFFENSE

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rafael Sanchez-De La Rosa, 51, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by Removed Alien.  The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Enforcing immigration laws is a priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven.  “This sentence reflects the seriousness of committing crimes while being in our country illegally.  The Northern District of Florida and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe.”

    “This case highlights the serious public safety risks posed by individuals who repeatedly violate our laws, both criminal and immigration,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE-ERO) Miami Acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. “Despite being removed from the United States on multiple occasions, Mr. Sanchez-De La Rosa unlawfully re-entered the country and continued to endanger lives through repeated DUI offenses. ICE remains committed to working with local law enforcement partners to identify and remove those who present a threat to our communities.”

    On May 5, 2024, at around 1:30 a.m., Sanchez-De La Rosa was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department (PPD) and charged with his third driving under the influence (DUI) within ten years, amongst other offenses.  Sanchez-De La Rosa had been speeding nearly twenty miles over the speed limit.  PPD located two open containers in the center console of his vehicle, and Sanchez-De La Rosa admitted to consuming at least eight beers.  Federal officers with ICE subsequently determined Sanchez-De La Rosa was present in the United States illegally.  Sanchez-De La Rosa had been previously removed from the United States to Mexico in 2017 and again in 2018.  Sanchez-De La Rosa has now been convicted of DUI in Escambia County three times, in 2014, 2015, and 2024, two of which cases were felony convictions.  During his first DUI offense, Sanchez-De La Rosa seriously injured his passenger, requiring hospitalization.

    Sanchez-De La Rosa has an ICE detainer lodged against him and will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term.  Sanchez-De La Rosa’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.

    This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Pensacola.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 35 Senators Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Guarantee Union Rights For Public Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    April 09, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 35 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time, after President Trump’s recent executive order ended collective bargaining for over a million federal workers.
    “Trump has already stripped hundreds of thousands of federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, and even more public sector workers could be next. Unions built the middle class, and they’re still the best tool for workers to fight for better pay and fair treatment. This legislation would make sure our teachers, firefighters, and more than a million Americans who serve their communities have a seat at the negotiating table,” said Murphy.
    “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act ensures that teachers, nurses, child welfare workers, firefighters, and so many others who serve our communities are afforded the same right to join a union as workers in the private sector,” said Blumenthal. “All workers deserve the free and unhindered opportunity to organize and collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.”
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.
    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:
    Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 
    U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the legislation.
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).
    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington man indicted on 11 counts of sex trafficking children, production of child sexual abuse material, and forced labor, following ICE, law enforcement partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    RICHLAND, Wash. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Murphy and acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that on April 2, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Jonathan Michael Atkinson, age 34, with 11 criminal counts including Sex Trafficking Children, Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography, Online Enticement of a Minor, and Forced Labor, following an ICE HSI, law enforcement partner investigation.

    The criminal charges against Atkinson carry a maximum sentence of up to a lifetime in prison.

    “Human trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable members of our communities and the most effective way we can dismantle these criminal networks is through strong partnerships,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI Seattle. “HSI is proud to work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect victims, bring traffickers to justice, and put an end to this exploitation.”

    Atkinson was arrested on April 8 by the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, consisting of HSI, Richland Police Department, Kennewick Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. Additional assistance was provided by Pasco Police Department, ATF and DEA. Atkinson will be arraigned in federal court on April 10.

    “The U.S. Attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Washington will continue to aggressively prosecute all versions of human trafficking,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker. “We will continue to work closely with our federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to seek justice for the most vulnerable among us.”

    If members of the public have any information regarding this case, please contact the Pasco Police Department.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Holland and Stephanie A. Van Marter.

    Early intervention is critical. If you suspect a child may be a victim of online CSEA, call the Know2Protect Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTiplineTM. If you believe a child has been abducted or is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement and the NCMEC Tipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Know2Protect (K2P) is a national public awareness campaign from the Department of Homeland Security. K2P’s aim is to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults, and policymakers to prevent, combat, and report online child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information, please visit our YouTube playlists at Know2Protect Campaign PSA Playlist and Know2Protect Digital Safety Series Playlist on the DHS main channel. Additional resources are available at know2protect.gov and @Know2Protect on Instagram, Facebook and X).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted for fatal stabbing of mother at Notting Hill Carnival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who was caught on camera stabbing a mother in front of her three-year old daughter at last year’s Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of murder.

    Cher Maximen, who was 32, was with friends and her daughter just off the Carnival parade route on Sunday, 25 August 2024 when she was caught up in a fight involving multiple men. She was stabbed and died in hospital six days later.

    On Wednesday, 9 April at the Old Bailey, Shakeil Thibou, 20 (29.05.04), of Masbro’ Road, Hammersmith and Fulham, was convicted of Cher’s murder, attempted GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “My heart goes out to Cher’s family and friends. She was a loving mother who went to Notting Hill Carnival to enjoy what should have been a carefree day in the company of friends and her young daughter. Her life was ended in the most senseless way.

    “In stark contrast, Shakeil Thibou went to Carnival not to be part of the celebration, but to engage in violence. Why else would he have arrived armed with a large knife and seeking confrontation?

    “His reckless and dangerous actions took Cher’s life and narrowly avoided killing a second man too.

    “The investigation team has worked diligently and tirelessly to build a case against him. Their work has made sure Cher’s family and friends have been able to get justice.

    “They had to go through the pain of witnessing her final moments throughout the trial. I commend their bravery and the dignified way they have handled this tragedy. I hope that today’s result brings some small amount of closure for them.”

    Vyleen Maximen, Cher’s grandmother, said: “Cher, my first born grandchild, my friend. I held you in my arms when you were born. 32 years of loving, of laughing, playing, crying and holidaying with you. I will no longer have that pleasure ever again. Not seeing you get married or have more children.

    “Life will never be the same. Ever. We just have to live life, the best that we can and I will raise your daughter Cher, until my last breath. I will never hear your key opening my front door and shouting ‘Hello Nanny’.”

    TJ Jacobs, relative of Cher and Godmother to Cher’s daughter, said: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the jury for helping ensure justice is served for our beloved Cher Maximen – affectionately known to us as Princess Cher, Ri Ri, Churbs, Churburt, Cher Bear and Bear.

    “What happened to us has completely turned our lives upside down. Losing Cher has filled our hearts with immeasurable sadness.

    “Cher was pure magic – radiant, loving, passionate, and kind. She brought creativity, style and flawless flair to everything she did. She was a dedicated mother, a devoted granddaughter, niece, sister, and friend. This senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom. Like many young adults, life hadn’t always been easy for Cher, but she was just discovering who she was and who she could become.

    “Even when life felt unfair, Cher remained kind, caring, and a fierce protector of those she loved – qualities that were evident even in her final moments. Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways. Her journey was an example of resilience against the odds, showing that no matter the challenges, young people can emerge with strength, determination, and the will to strive for better.

    “We will never recover from this loss, but we are determined to ensure that Cher’s daughter – now being raised by her beloved great-grandmother (Cher’s much-loved grandmother), along with her village of aunties, uncles, and Godparents – receives the love, support, and care she needs as we navigate life without her. Cher’s four-year-old daughter was her everything – her reason, her drive, and now her legacy. Cher’s unwavering devotion to her role as a mother was evident to all who knew her.

    “Our family is devastated, but we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the emergency responders, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers involved in this case.

    “Knife crime continues to devastate communities across the UK. The government must urgently address the root causes – the systemic failures in education, children’s services, youth services, mental health services impacting the many disengaged and disenfranchised young people. Offering them the tools to overcome challenges rather than fall victim to them. This is not just about reducing crime; it’s about saving lives, restoring hope, and building safer, stronger communities.”

    The court heard that Cher had spent the afternoon with her daughter and her friends among a crowd in Golborne Road which was just off the parade route.

    Just before 18:00hrs, a fight broke out in the crowd. CCTV and police officers’ body worn video footage shown during the trial shows Shakeil attempting to stab a man in the abdomen. Cher was caught up in the melee and knocked to the floor, grabbing onto Shakeil’s coat as she tried to get back to her feet.

    In an effort to defend herself and her daughter, Cher kicked out and was stabbed in the groin as she did so, falling to the ground.

    Officers rushed to her aid and provided emergency medical treatment until the arrival of paramedics. She was transported to hospital in a critical condition but despite the efforts of medical teams she died on Saturday, 31 August.

    Video footage showed that moments before Cher was stabbed, Shakeil’s brothers – Sheldon Thibou and Shaeim Thibou, along with an unidentified male, fought with one man. Sheldon can be seen wielding an illegal stun gun. An officer who intervened to try to break up the fight was assaulted by both brothers.

    The three brothers and an associate fled the scene, but CCTV footage recovered during the investigation showed that Shakeil, when leaving carnival was captured on CCTV changing his outer clothing with an associate and calmly making his way out of the area.

    An investigation started immediately after the incident, with officers running images captured on bodyworn video cameras through facial recognition software, revealing a match for Sheldon and Shaeim Thibou. Further research identified Shakeil.

    A significant manhunt was launched which saw officers search a number of addresses across west London.

    Shakeil was found lying on the floor under a sleeping bag when officers found him in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 August. During a search of the address they found a distinctive bag he’d been seen wearing on footage captured at Carnival.

    His jacket had been discarded at the scene after it came off in the struggle. It was sent for forensic testing and DNA found on it was a 1 in a billion match for Shakeil – further proof that he had committed the stabbing.

    Detectives would also spend weeks trawling through hundreds of additional hours of CCTV and body worn video footage, as well as messages on mobile phones recovered at the time of the brothers’ arrest.

    This helped to further establish a watertight case that Shakeil and his brothers were at Carnival at the time of Cher’s murder.

    Sheldon Thibou, 25 (23.01.00), of Star Road, Hammersmith and Fulham and Shaeim Thibou, 22 (20.02.03), of Charleville Road, Hammersmith and Fulham stood trial alongside their brother.

    Sheldon was found guilty of violent disorder. He had also previously pleaded guilty to the possession of an illegal stun gun.

    Sheldon and Shaeim were both found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker. 

    Shakeil and Shaeim will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 16 May.

    Sheldon will be sentenced in due course at a court that is yet to be confirmed.

    TJ Jacobs and Vyleen Maximen added:

    “We would also like to say a special thank you to:

    “Police officers Alex Gammampila, Charlotte Carter, Andy Miller, Kevin Newton, Dan Hobbs and Dave Davies.

    “Emma Currie and Peter Hutton from the Crown Prosecution Service.

    “Prosecuting Counsel Edward Brown KC and Phillip McGhee.

    “Sharon Macaulay, Ravandeep Khela and Wendy Rixon from Taylor Rose Solicitors.

    “Barrister Oliver Wooding from St John’s Chambers.

    “Gulizar Candemir from the Children’s Team at Freeman Solicitors.

    “Barrister Alison Brooks from Staple Inn Chambers.

    “These individuals have supported us tirelessly throughout this unimaginable experience. Their efforts and dedication have been a source of comfort during this dark and painful time.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Funding Suicide Prevention for Uniformed Personnel

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the award of 18 grants to expand resiliency and suicide prevention efforts among military veterans and uniformed personnel, including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, correction officers and emergency dispatchers. Administered through the New York Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York, the CARES UP initiative will provide $60,000 over two years to four law enforcement agencies; three fire departments; three EMS services; three emergency communications organizations; two corrections agencies and three organizations serving veterans.

    “New York’s first responders and uniformed personnel routinely go above and beyond the call of duty, and often at great personal expense,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will ensure these organizations and agencies are better equipped to cultivate resilience and mental wellness among their ranks to help properly address stress and trauma they encounter in the line of duty.”

    In addition, the Office of Mental Health (OMH) also provided awards of $40,000 over two years to 11 organizations previously funded through CARES UP to sustain their mental health and wellness initiatives. These sustainability awards were made possible after Governor Hochul successfully increased funding for the program in the FY25 Enacted Budget to $3 million annually.

    The CARES UP program provides organizations with $30,000 annually to increase suicide prevention efforts and wellness programming in their agencies. First responder agencies work closely with the Suicide Prevention Center to receive training from national subject matter experts on topics such as resiliency, mental health and wellness, suicide prevention and peer support and implement agency-specific actions to address their unique needs.

    The initiative also provides these grants to support veterans’ organizations via Onward Ops. Recipient organizations use the funding to promote social welfare of service members transitioning back to their communities after their tour of duty ends.

    New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “It is important to recognize the stress and cumulative trauma first responders and veterans experience as they do their jobs and the toll that this can take on their mental health. CARES UP works with their organizations to mitigate this stress, build resilience and support mental wellbeing. By building and expanding this program, Governor Hochul is demonstrating her commitment to the mental wellness of our veterans, first responders and their families.”

    Studies have shown the cumulative stress and trauma are common in uniformed personnel professions and have placed these individuals at greater risk of suicide. To better understand the mental health-related challenges facing individuals working in public safety fields, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services partnered with SUNY New Paltz’s Institute for Disaster Mental Health to complete a first responder needs assessment survey of more than 6,000 individuals in law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire services, emergency communications and emergency management from every region.

    The assessment showed more than half of the participants experience high levels of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression related to their jobs, and that they may not seek help due to their fear of facing stigma. Thoughts of suicide were reported by 16 percent of respondents — a level four times higher than the general population of the state.

    Likewise, New York veterans die by suicide at a rate nearly two times higher than civilians — a rate that has remained relatively unchanged since 2012. Veterans under the age of 55 consistently experience the highest rates of suicide in New York.

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Our first responders encounter unimaginable situations at work on a daily basis that most of us will never face, and then they go home and try to manage the normal activities of everyday life. It is vital that we work to ensure they have the resources they need to take care of themselves at work and at home. While the results of the First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment may not be surprising, we now have specific details about the toll this work can take on people’s mental health and can work together on developing the kind of help that can make a positive difference in their lives.”

    New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Viviana DeCohensaid, “Our courageous Service Members and Veterans are our best, brightest and bravest. Yet they often carry invisible burdens long after the uniform comes off. This critical support acknowledges those challenges and delivers real tools for healing and mental wellness. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of our Veterans and Service Members. This vital funding — and the essential services it enables — will ultimately save lives.”

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Our law enforcement officers and first responders demonstrate remarkable strength and bravery every day, but we know that their professions are filled with stress and trauma, often helping people during their worst moments. It is vital that these professionals can access the help that they need, such as confidential services and support that address their unique experiences. At DCJS, we prioritize officer wellness in our basic training requirements for law enforcement, as well as our professional development offerings. I commend Governor Hochul’s steadfast leadership and commitment to our officers and first responders and am pleased to work with the Office of Mental Health, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and other agencies on this important issue.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “DEC’s Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers, put their lives on the line to protect New Yorkers and our critical natural resources. There’s no such thing as a routine call, they encounter unexpected and, at times, tragic circumstances in their work. We know that can take a toll on the mental well-being of our first responders that effects them at work and at home. Governor Hochul, DEC and our partners know that we need to take care of our first responders, as they care for us. We are committed to provided mental wellness tools and resources to meaningfully support our first responders and their families.”

    State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “As Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, I have observed how peer support can dramatically improve mental health outcomes for individuals in crisis. The CARES UP program utilizes the power of peer support and suicide prevention efforts to address the unique needs of our first responders and veterans. I applaud Governor Hochul for her continued investment in expanding mental health services for individuals who serve our communities.”

    Assemblymember Steve Stern said, “As the Chairman of the New York State Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I applaud Governor Hochul’s announcement that our local heroes, who serve all of us, will have access to the services they need and deserve. Far too many of our soldiers, veterans, first responders and law enforcement professionals have struggled with mental health challenges and take their own lives. That is absolutely unacceptable, and these grants to improve resiliency, wellness, support and suicide prevention will be an important part of saving lives.”

    Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “Our veterans and uniformed personnel face a growing mental health crisis, and we must meet this moment with support and sustained investment. These grants will help address the unique mental health needs of those who have served and sacrificed by expanding access to suicide prevention and wellness programs. Thank you to Governor Hochul for supporting the organizations on the front lines of this crisis as New York State strives to strengthen our mental health services.”

    This year’s CARES UP recipients include:

    Capital Region:

    • Albany County Corrections*
    • Albany City Police Department*
    • Albany County Sheriff’s Office
    • Clifton Park & Half Moon Emergency Corps*
    • Colonie EMS*
    • Veterans and Community Housing Coalition
    • Watervliet Fire Department*

    Central New York:

    • Eastern Paramedics Inc.
    • Onondaga County Department of Communication Services

    Mid-Hudson:

    • Clarkstown Police Department*
    • Village of Mamaroneck Police Department*
    • New Windsor Police Department
    • Pleasant Valley Fire District
    • Port Chester Police Department*
    • Orange County Emergency Services Emergency Communications
    • Orange County Emergency Services – Police Services Division
    • Orange County Emergency Services – Fire Services Division
    • City of Rye Fire Department

    Long Island:

    • Nassau County Sheriff’s Department
    • Sayville American Legion Post 651
    • Suffolk County Police Department
    • Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department*

    Mohawk Valley:

    • Utica Center for Development Inc.

    North Country:

    • St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility

    Southern Tier:

    • Village of Liberty Police Department
    • Sullivan County Division of Public Safety

    Western New York:

    • Allegany County Sheriff’s Department*
    • City of Olean Fire Department*
    • Town of West Seneca Police Department

    * Denotes organizations receiving sustainability funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –