Last Thursday we heard that the police had apprehended a suspect in the Bullwild poisoning case. At last, we could all breathe a sigh of relief. This breakthrough not only serves as a warning for potential copycats, it also has more important implications.
Within days of the Bullwild poisonings there were reports of toxic substances detected in bottles of mineral water in a five-star hotel in Kaohsiung and in Yunlin County, as well as tea drinks. A cloud of panic would have descended upon society had police not been able to crack the Bullwild case. This relatively smooth conclusion to the whole saga will bring a degree of comfort to the families of the victims, with the knowledge that this criminal can no longer harm others. It should also ease the anxiety of the public.
Due recognition should be given for the hard work and effort of the police. But the case might have been cracked in an even shorter time had there been more cooperation between the various institutions involved -- interdepartmental collaboration within the government, between the police and the local populace and the support of the media.
Criminals like the poisoner should be treated as a public enemy. This is especially true in this case, where the security implications were far greater than could be handled by the Taichung police's First Precinct. Success could not be assured without the help of the criminal investigations unit of the Taichung City police, the precincts and even the Criminal Investigation Bureau, the Investigation Bureau, local District Prosecutors' Offices, the Taichung City Government and other local governments, as well as the public.
When Taichung City police were patrolling, they could have approached more members of the public and asked them if they had seen anything based on a description of the suspect. Before providing the police with leads, tipsters should have double-checked their facts to avoid wasting police time. The local prosecutors office should have called on other agencies to help.
The police distributed "wanted" posters, but more people were needed to join in the search. When the police were investigating the case, the abilities of various precincts and bureaus were put to the test, given the complexity of the teamwork and coordination required. The question of whether the authorities concerned and the public could fall into line and work together to apprehend the poisoner was also put to the test.
Since the police have to deal with a vast number of tips and leads, interdepartmental collaboration within the government and cooperation between the police and the public is crucial. One of the reasons the police were able to solve the killing of a Sijhih police officer is that some shop owners near the crime scene provided surveillance tapes containing pictures of the suspect.
Media coverage is also important. While the police were hunting the poisoner, another man wrote to the media, claiming to be the culprit. Fortunately, this did not stir up a media sensation. Because of Taichung's geographical position and the ease of getting in and out of the area, merely putting up wanted posters around the city was not enough. With his image splashed by the media throughout the country, however, the culprit had nowhere to hide.
The public expected to see the Bullwild poisoner apprehended quickly. Other government agencies, the public and media should have been prepared to help the police. I suggest that the authorities study what roles governmental organizations, the media and the public could have played in the whole process. Thus, next time each of us can contribute something to the social order, and the police can improve their crime-fighting strategy.
Yang Yung-nane is professor of administrative management for the Central Police University.
TRANSLATED BY PAUL COOPER AND DANIEL CHENG
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