Police deny withholding details from Harris’s family
(CNS): Social media posts by the mother of missing reporter Andrel Harris alleged that the police have not been fully transparent with the family or allowed them to see CCTV footage and confirm his identity, an allegation they have denied. The RCIPS also stated on Tuesday that it had not received any reports from Harris or his employers indicating that he had been threatened.
In a press release, the police said that their focus from the outset was on finding Harris in good health and that throughout the search and the ongoing investigation, they remained in active communication with the family, sharing with them consistent updates and meeting in person whenever key findings were made.
Responding to questions from CNS about the allegations posted by Harris’s mother, which were reposted and shared across numerous social media platforms, a spokesperson admitted that there were times when they could not share everything immediately. However, the RCIPS said that in general, the police officers were working very closely with the family, and they had now seen all the evidence they were working with.
“At the same time, we must follow proper investigative processes, particularly with regard to identification and the examination of evidence,” a spokesperson said.
“This sometimes means that certain items cannot immediately be viewed by the family. However, we can confirm at this point that the family has been shown the relevant CCTV footage and items recovered in relation to the investigation and search.”
The police said they will continue to ensure that the family is kept updated on any further developments, while maintaining the integrity of the investigation, in a manner which is considerate of the impact on them.
Police also refuted claims made by Harris’s mother that threats made to him had been reported to the RCIPS. “We have not received any reports of threats being made against Mr Harris prior to his going missing,” the spokesperson said, adding that the investigation into the local reporter’s disappearance remains ongoing.
“The RCIPS appreciates the emotional impact this matter is having on the family and the wider community, and requests that persons be considerate, and refrain from inuendo and rumour, particularly with online activity.”
Harris, a TV reporter and journalist, was reported missing last Wednesday when he did not show up to work as expected at the Compass. Police established that he was last seen walking down Pedro Castle Road carrying a bottle in brown paper headed towards the historic monument.
On Thursday, a pair of trousers he was last seen wearing were found in the water, and inside them was an undisclosed item belonging to him. The search continued over the weekend, but after his mobile phone was found in the sea, the police announced on Sunday that it was transitioning the operation to a recovery, indicating that Harris was no longer expected to be found alive.
However, the circumstances surrounding his likely death remain under investigation, and anyone with any information is asked to contact 911 or 649-2930.
CNS Note: The police have asked us to correct the above article in relation to the bottle that Harris was carrying when spotted on CCTV. They have stated that the contents of the bottle are “unknown” at this time.
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Category: Local News, Police
I fully believe what his mother said is true. They obviously showed the family the recovered items after she made the statement she made on social media. Also how do they know the bottle which was supposedly in the brown paper bag contained alcohol? Apperently they are just saying this now to make it look like he was drinking and whatever happened to him happened because of that. Aren’t they just making accusations here now?
Now it’s hard to comment on this as we really do not know what happened.
But the posts by his mother seem to be coming from a place in stages of grief: anger and blame. Grief is such a crazy ride that you can ride multiple times in all of the different stages.
I’m not saying that RCIPS is right or wrong or that his mother is right or wrong. Imagining what they are feeling is the only thing we can do, because we just will not understand how she is feeling.
I pray so hard for answers for her and his family.
Our police and coast guard, with all their staff and resources, routinely fail to discover homemade Cuban migrant boats with a couple yards of freeboard, until their occupants are reported to have made landfall on one of our islands. They have become far too comfortable reducing their scope duties to after-the-fact report filers, for the growing mountain of unsolved mysteries. The IOPC from the UK needs to come in and audit their entire organization from hierarchy, to routine procedures. One has to imagine their performance review scores would range from the weakest of passes to strong fails. The RCIPS needs to be accountable to the public stakeholders of the Cayman Islands, not the other way around.
My sympathy to family and friends during this time.
We urgently need to establish some kind of police cross training program overseas, either with Miami-Dade or Los Angeles or the UK. Getting the theory is one thing, but our Caymanian officers do not get enough cases, on an annual basis, to gain solid practice in many aspects of policing. “Practice makes better.” IMO, our closing rate for serious crimes needs to improve considerably.
Agree exceot for: Miami-Dade or Los Angeles – no thanks and thankfully do not have jurisdiction here.
better experienced if you ask me.
Experienced at batons and guns!
good
Seems the point was missed. We need our officers to get exposure to frequent and complex cases. I suggested places which are easily accessible from the Cayman Islands. Has nothing to do with jurisdiction because they would not be coming here.
Point remains same.
And let the world know that most of our officers cannot read or write English?
It’s amazing how the police and coast guard will try to apprehend drug boats in rough waters , but when it comes to a search for a human, if it’s not like a swimming pool they are ready to throw in the towel, and cry bad conditions , still hoping and praying for a miracle or at least some closure for the family
They hardly ever intercept anything, even when it’s calm. Cuban migrants are often already on land by the time the police and coast guard show up.
The conditions on the south side have not deteriorated this week. The waves have decreased & visibility increased. Poor excuse to stop the search and it makes me wonder what is actually going on. NO boats searching in front of Spottd beach/ ocean club when they were looking. SMH
This report references “a bottle of alcohol”. I clearly recall earlier reports stating that Mr. Harris had “a bottle in a..bag”. Has RCIPS actually confirmed alcohol was in the bag or is conjecture being flavored in?
Never great but especially inappropriate regarding a journalist.
Just saying
The RCIPS really want this to be a tidy open and shut suicide, so they can relax again, not an ongoing murder investigation against some unknown criminal elements murdering key figures that ask too many questions.
I suspect the same thing, @8:48am.
Totally suspicious and the building. From building to ocean. Are the ‘unknown’ really known…
Not everything is a conspiracy, people commit suicide, people get murdered, people are unhappy, people can’t make the right decisions, man made it to the moon. This is why regular citizens are not judges! As incompetent as some officers are, let the system handle their business.
Perhaps they checked with the liquor stores in the area and they could confirm that it was liquor?. That is not a stretch and right now I don’t even think it is important. Who knows! We might never know for sure all the details. Prayers and good thoughts for his family and all of us here who knew Andrél or just knew of him through social media. May his soul rest in peace.
Never mind the RCIPS, Sandra Hill should be tarred and feathered for the totally disgusting way she spoke about this young mans private life on her show yesterday. Irrespective of how he lived his life or with who, it is NONE OF HER BUSINESS!!
And then to accuse one of his colleagues of bullying and abuse, basically blaming them for this young mans frame of mind – shameful! EVERY loss of life in this way is tragic and as a community we should be comforting those who are grieving, not adding to their pain with insults and innuendos.
My condolences to all of Mr. Harris’ family and friends. May he rest in peace.
Sandra is the worst person in Cayman. The fact the NCFC associates themselves with her says a lot about who they really are.
I’ve been saying this. The fact that the TCCP/NCFC funded and used CMR as their mouthpiece tells you everything you need to know about them and their integrity.
Who do you suggest that they use in order to reach the maximum number of their constituents? Radio Cayman? CIGTV on Youtube? Straight Talk with Elio and Austin? The bullfrog’s average reach is greater than the three of those combined, on their best day.
A proper alternative needs to be established, but until then, if you need to get news/info out, and you don’t use the cesspool that is CMR, you’re not maximizing your reach. It’s that simple.
She promotes Wayne Panton charity but yet she single handedly is THE BIGGEST bully in the room. Talk about an oxy moron, the professor of bullying, supporting an organization that seeks to prevent it. Only on CMR could this fu**kery be seen as worthy.
UK needs to investigate this police force. If need be take over. Better to be on top of things than be behind things, keep law and order and corruption out!
Have you seen the police in the UK?
Scotland yard no more.
The highly suspicious death of Judiann Myles, former head of CIMA AML unit, is still not categorized as a murder. Here, a journalist missing, personal artifacts placed just so. We already know what they would like to conclude.
Two words. Jam Rock.
And yesterday’s arson on another prominent lady’s vehicle. Somebody knows something!
They should have had divers in the water as soon as they heard he went missing in the Pedro area…even if it was rough.
Remember the police force is made up of many persons from a certain country that struggle to read and write so how can we expect them to interact with a distraught family appropriately? They believe they know everything and think all others are idiots…step in Guv…
Any development in Judiann Myles murder case?
Or the lady who went missing at the landfill a few years ago?
This is unfortunate but on brand for the RCIPS.
Such a shame, I don’t know the young man, but he seemed very talented.
So they obviously showed the famil the CCTV and clothing after they made a public complaint and then released a statement to tell everybody that they had shown it to the family. Sounds about right. This is the same RCIP that always asks for the public’s help catching people but refuses to give the public any information on who they are looking for.