Operation Task Methodology

[John]

I would say it is a duty that is broken time and time again in all countries, for it would be rather difficult to prove.  If it is not written down, did it happen? 
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-london-42366623/liam-allan-trial-why-disclosure-failings-can-prove-crucial

Not only disclosure but the COPFS have been known to promote lies in order to assist the prosecution of innocent individuals.

[Robittybob1]

Not only disclosure but the COPFS have been known to promote lies in order to assist the prosecution of innocent individuals.

Secret witnesses who receive inducements to lie.  We had a case like that in NZ.

[G-Unit]

Once Leicestershire Constabulary had organised permission to send their FLO's to Portugal they came under pressure from 'ministers and the media' to escalate police assistance. [page 18]

The only possible reason for this to happen was the continuing criticism of the Portuguese police by friends and relatives of the McCanns;

Friends and relatives of the McCanns alleged yesterday that the search was only upgraded to a major investigation after the intervention of John Buck, Britain’s ambassador in Portugal......

Meanwhile, Gerry’s sister Philomena slammed Portuguese police for not doing enough to find Madeleine’s faster.
Speaking from her home in Glasgow she said Gerry was furious with the way the inquiry was being handled. “My brother is at his wits’ end. They’ve just played it down from the minute he first approached them.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/press/1may7/Express_06_05_2007.htm

So the response from the UK police appears to have been driven by criticism of the Portuguese police by the McCanns, their relatives and friends.

[G-Unit]

Relatives and friends also lobbied Ministers and MP's, it seems. So successfully that in the early days of Operation Task eight briefings were prepared for ministers in one day. Eventually ACPO took on the role of liaising between interested parties and the investigation. [page 22]

There's a rather generalised passage about how the investigating country can form the impression that the authorities and media in the family's country of origin are more interested in representing the interests of the family than in justice. This can lead to the police people deployed on the ground being seen as doing the same.
[page 22]

That clearly did happen and it limited the assistance the PJ were prepared to request and accept. It seems that the criticism of the Portuguese police helped to create an unprecedented level of assistance and support from the UK authorities, but it also created trust problems between the two police forces.

[G-Unit]

The debrief confirms that the UK authorities didn't have a methodology suitable for use in this case. Their attempts to help were misunderstood, not suitable and not helpful.

It recommends, for example, not sending FLO's in future as few other countries use them so they can't fill the role abroad that they fill in the UK. The conclusion was to stay with past custom where the FCO supports the people involved. Two lots of BIA's went out and submitted reports but no-one was interested. Their reports were substandard anyway because the PJ were limited in what they could or would tell them. The PJ were given access to HOLMES but didn't use it.

Not only did they fail to win over the PJ, the McCann's expectations weren't able to be met either.

[Alice Purjorick]

The debrief confirms that the UK authorities didn't have a methodology suitable for use in this case. Their attempts to help were misunderstood, not suitable and not helpful.

It recommends, for example, not sending FLO's in future as few other countries use them so they can't fill the role abroad that they fill in the UK. The conclusion was to stay with past custom where the FCO supports the people involved. Two lots of BIA's went out and submitted reports but no-one was interested. Their reports were substandard anyway because the PJ were limited in what they could or would tell them. The PJ were given access to HOLMES but didn't use it.

Not only did they fail to win over the PJ, the McCann's expectations weren't able to be met either.

No surprises there considering what the Portuguese used.
It's like asking a boy racer to give up his Focus ST in favour of an Upright Popular.

[Brietta]

No surprises there considering what the Portuguese used.
It's like asking a boy racer to give up his Focus ST in favour of an Upright Popular.

So you keep telling us, Alice.

It did happen ... eventually.  It was a long, long time coming though.  It had to wait for the Rebelo team to pick up the pieces left lying around in no particular order, collate them then introduce them to all those and ~ or gates.

Scribbling vital information down on a handy scrap then using it as a coaster probably isn't appropriate methodology when looking for a missing dog ... let alone a missing child ... but that's what Rebelo had to work with.

Perhaps when in future you refer to the superior computer system used by the Policia Judicaira in Madeleine's case it is worth remembering the information was only digitised months after she disappeared and only after her parents had been constituted arguidos.


Quote
Paulo Rebelo, the new police chief leading the Madeleine McCann investigation, is furious at how it was left in disarray by his predecessor.
According to reports, officers have spent the past fortnight processing information left lying around on scraps of paper and following leads ignored by police working under Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral.


Following Amaral's removal after he criticised British police, Rebelo, one of Portugal's national deputy police chiefs, is reviewing the whole forensic investigation because of earlier procedural errors.

*****************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, a police source quoted in a Portuguese newspaper said: "There was important material lying all over the place that hadn't been considered by investigators.

"A lot of key information was discarded. The whole process is being reviewed. Putting all the papers in order has been a massive task."

Officers have been working round-the-clock to log on to a computer all information relating to the disappearance of four-year-old Madeleine from the holiday complex in May.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-488802/Madeleine-New-police-chiefs-fury-mess-inherited-predecessor.html#ixzz521Jys88V

[Alice Purjorick]

So you keep telling us, Alice.

It did happen ... eventually.  It was a long, long time coming though.  It had to wait for the Rebelo team to pick up the pieces left lying around in no particular order, collate them then introduce them to all those and ~ or gates.

Scribbling vital information down on a handy scrap then using it as a coaster probably isn't appropriate methodology when looking for a missing dog ... let alone a missing child ... but that's what Rebelo had to work with.

Perhaps when in future you refer to the superior computer system used by the Policia Judicaira in Madeleine's case it is worth remembering the information was only digitised months after she disappeared and only after her parents had been constituted arguidos.


Quote
Paulo Rebelo, the new police chief leading the Madeleine McCann investigation, is furious at how it was left in disarray by his predecessor.
According to reports, officers have spent the past fortnight processing information left lying around on scraps of paper and following leads ignored by police working under Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral.


Following Amaral's removal after he criticised British police, Rebelo, one of Portugal's national deputy police chiefs, is reviewing the whole forensic investigation because of earlier procedural errors.

*****************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, a police source quoted in a Portuguese newspaper said: "There was important material lying all over the place that hadn't been considered by investigators.

"A lot of key information was discarded. The whole process is being reviewed. Putting all the papers in order has been a massive task."

Officers have been working round-the-clock to log on to a computer all information relating to the disappearance of four-year-old Madeleine from the holiday complex in May.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-488802/Madeleine-New-police-chiefs-fury-mess-inherited-predecessor.html#ixzz521Jys88V

Indeed but only to demonstrate that the promulgation of myths was not a one way street.

"According to reports" and "a police source said" ? you're havin' a larf intcha?
Both unattributed with dubious provenance.

[Brietta]

Indeed but only to demonstrate that the promulgation of myths was not a one way street.

"According to reports" and "a police source said" ? you're havin' a larf intcha?
Both unattributed with dubious provenance.

You're the one usually doin' the larfin ... n'est-ce pas?

[G-Unit]

So you keep telling us, Alice.

It did happen ... eventually.  It was a long, long time coming though.  It had to wait for the Rebelo team to pick up the pieces left lying around in no particular order, collate them then introduce them to all those and ~ or gates.

Scribbling vital information down on a handy scrap then using it as a coaster probably isn't appropriate methodology when looking for a missing dog ... let alone a missing child ... but that's what Rebelo had to work with.

Perhaps when in future you refer to the superior computer system used by the Policia Judicaira in Madeleine's case it is worth remembering the information was only digitised months after she disappeared and only after her parents had been constituted arguidos.


Quote
Paulo Rebelo, the new police chief leading the Madeleine McCann investigation, is furious at how it was left in disarray by his predecessor.
According to reports, officers have spent the past fortnight processing information left lying around on scraps of paper and following leads ignored by police working under Chief Inspector Goncalo Amaral.


Following Amaral's removal after he criticised British police, Rebelo, one of Portugal's national deputy police chiefs, is reviewing the whole forensic investigation because of earlier procedural errors.

*****************************************************************************************

Meanwhile, a police source quoted in a Portuguese newspaper said: "There was important material lying all over the place that hadn't been considered by investigators.

"A lot of key information was discarded. The whole process is being reviewed. Putting all the papers in order has been a massive task."

Officers have been working round-the-clock to log on to a computer all information relating to the disappearance of four-year-old Madeleine from the holiday complex in May.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-488802/Madeleine-New-police-chiefs-fury-mess-inherited-predecessor.html#ixzz521Jys88V

I have two comments.

The thread is about the methodology (or lack thereof) of Operation Task.
Are we now accepting the veracity of all the alleged leaks to the Portuguese press or just those which suit a poster's agenda?

[Brietta]

I have two comments.

The thread is about the methodology (or lack thereof) of Operation Task.
Are we now accepting the veracity of all the alleged leaks to the Portuguese press or just those which suit a poster's agenda?

You wondered why Operation Task offered almost unprecedented assistance to a foreign investigation.  One only has to read what Rebelo found on taking over the investigation to find one possible reason behind their exceedingly kind offer.

[G-Unit]

You wondered why Operation Task offered almost unprecedented assistance to a foreign investigation.  One only has to read what Rebelo found on taking over the investigation to find one possible reason behind their exceedingly kind offer.

Poppycock! They bowed to pressure from family, friends, government ministers and the media. Their response was hasty, uncoordinated, unsuitable and unwanted. The level of interference was unprecedented, inexcusable and, worst of all, unhelpful. Not only did they upset the PJ, they gave the McCanns the impression that they were on their side. When the PJ began to investigate them they were shocked to discover that their British police 'friends' were powerless to interfere. That's my opinion having read the debrief, a lot of which has been confirmed by Jim Gamble.

[Mr Gray]

Once Leicestershire Constabulary had organised permission to send their FLO's to Portugal they came under pressure from 'ministers and the media' to escalate police assistance. [page 18]

The only possible reason for this to happen was the continuing criticism of the Portuguese police by friends and relatives of the McCanns;

Friends and relatives of the McCanns alleged yesterday that the search was only upgraded to a major investigation after the intervention of John Buck, Britain’s ambassador in Portugal......

Meanwhile, Gerry’s sister Philomena slammed Portuguese police for not doing enough to find Madeleine’s faster.
Speaking from her home in Glasgow she said Gerry was furious with the way the inquiry was being handled. “My brother is at his wits’ end. They’ve just played it down from the minute he first approached them.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/press/1may7/Express_06_05_2007.htm

So the response from the UK police appears to have been driven by criticism of the Portuguese police by the McCanns, their relatives and friends.

My opinion would be that the UK police agreed with the McCanns view of the Portuguese police...supported by t he statement  by a Portuguese official that the Madeleine investigation was a good example of how an investigation should not be handled

[Mr Gray]

An opinion based on what the debrief, Jim Ganble and 'madeleine' say. You can disagree all you like but the evidence is there.

I would say the evidence is not there and you are posting your opinion as fact

[Brietta]

Poppycock! They bowed to pressure from family, friends, government ministers and the media. Their response was hasty, uncoordinated, unsuitable and unwanted. The level of interference was unprecedented, inexcusable and, worst of all, unhelpful. Not only did they upset the PJ, they gave the McCanns the impression that they were on their side. When the PJ began to investigate them they were shocked to discover that their British police 'friends' were powerless to interfere. That's my opinion having read the debrief, a lot of which has been confirmed by Jim Gamble.

Why do you and a few other members feel the necessity to be incredibly rude when there is absolutely no necessity for it.  That was a rhetorical question.

What do you mean: "When the PJ began to investigate them they were shocked to discover that their British police 'friends' were powerless to interfere."?

It would have been impossible for British police to be pro-active in a Portuguese investigation: in my opinion, had they attempted to, the PJ would have been apoplectic and rightly so.