Police Bill in Parliament - Complex Crimes: Assistance from Foreign Investigators Soon to be Authorized

The Mauritian government is preparing to amend the Police Act to allow the Commissioner of Police to enlist foreign experts in the most delicate criminal investigations. A bill, titled the Police (Amendment) Bill, will be introduced this Tuesday, November 11, in Parliament and could be adopted on the same day. This legislation, introduced by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, aims to enhance the police's investigative capabilities in response to the growing complexity of serious crimes.

The explanatory memorandum, dated November 7, specifies that the goal is to amend the Police Act to "empower the Commissioner of Police to retain the services of foreign specialized investigative officers to carry out, under the direction and control of the Commissioner of Police, complex or serious criminal inquiries." To clarify any doubts, it is explicitly stated that these foreign officers will have "no arrest powers," limiting their role to advisory and operational under strict supervision.

The bill, structured in three concise clauses, modifies Article 22 of the main law. Clause 1 sets the title: Police (Amendment) Act 2025. Clause 2 defines the "principal Act" as the existing Police Act. Clause 3, the core of the reform, inserts three new sub-articles after sub-article (1) of Article 22.

Sub-article (1A) explicitly allows the Commissioner to retain the services of these foreign specialized investigative officers to assist the police in carrying out their functions, focusing on "complex or serious criminal inquiries." Sub-article (1B) regulates their intervention: they will act "under the direction and control of the Commissioner or any other police officer as the Commissioner may designate," without arrest powers.

Finally, sub-article (1C) specifies the eligibility criteria: an individual qualifies if they have "served in a foreign law enforcement authority and have acquired and demonstrated specialized expertise in the type of complex and serious criminal investigation" for which their services are needed.

This amendment continues the announcements made by the government leader regarding the need for foreign experts to strengthen the local police, particularly in "high-profile cases," such as the murders of Soopramanien Kistnen, Vanessa Lagesse, or Nadine Dantier.