Enlarge image
North Rhine-Westphalia Minister of the Interior Herbert Reul: "Looking for people who still have a good nose"
Photo: via www.imago-images.de / imago images / Political-Moments
The police in North Rhine-Westphalia are using special methods to clear up unexplained homicides. She wants to set up a kind of special commission for cold cases - that is, old unsolved cases. That alone is not entirely unusual, but those who are supposed to investigate are: The 28 new positions on the special commission are to be filled with former investigators who "have experience in crime scene work, filing or managing murder commissions," as stated on the Site of the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia is called.
"It's no secret that cold cases have to be processed alongside day-to-day business," said Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU).
“That's why we're looking for retired homicide investigators who can deal intensively with the cold cases.
We are looking for people who still have a good nose and who want to turn every stone over to find the culprit. "
The North Rhine-Westphalian State Criminal Police Office has been building a database for unexplained homicides for four years.
All unsolved homicides from the past 50 years are to be included in this cold cases database.
According to the Interior Ministry, that has been a total of 1,160 cases since 1970.
The 28 new old investigators are expected to start their work from October this year.
Her tasks include digitizing files, processing cases in a structured manner, identifying opportunities for clarification and developing investigative concepts.
Should new investigative approaches arise, the locally responsible criminal police will take over the case.
“Maybe there is new knowledge or new techniques, maybe also new legal bases, which is why it is worth reopening a case.
After all, the relatives have a right to have these cases cleared up if there is a new lead, ”said Reul.
kha
