SINGAPORE: After a Certis CISCO officer required his own life within 2020, the security firm improved its processes for tracking issued firearms and ensuring their timely come back, a coroner’s query has found.
In coroner’s findings made available on Wednesday (Jul 20), State Coroner Adam Nakhoda ruled the death of Mister Elanko V Ganesan as a suicide plus found that no foul play had been involved.
Mister Elanko, 42, died of a gunshot wound to the head through his Certis CISCO-issued Taurus M85 revolver. His body had been found by police at a car park within East Coast Recreation area in the early morning associated with Sep 19, 2020.
The day before, the Malaysian man had drawn their revolver and 10 rounds of ammunition from Certis CISCO’s armoury before leaving behind for a deployment with two colleagues.
Their deployment ended earlier by an hour, at about 10pm on Sep 18, 2020. The trio came back to the Certis CISCO Centre at about 10. 10pm and Mr Elanko’s two co-workers returned their guns, but he did not.
Instead, Mister Elanko went to the particular male locker area alone, where he deliberately wore his coat in such a way that it concealed his holstered revolver, said Judge Nakhoda.
He then left the Certis CISCO Centre at 10. 30pm, scanning his staff pass as he left the building.
Mr Elanko next boarded a taxi to East Coastline Park. There, he was last seen on camera walking towards a car recreation area, where he loitered close to a bin centre and he shot themselves sometime after 10. 54pm that evening.
AFTER HE WENT MISSING
Judge Nakhoda found that Certis CISCO acted in a “timely and appropriate manner” by first trying to locate Mr Elanko and notifying the police from the accident.
He or she noted that the protection company had furthermore looked into and improved its procedures because the incident.
Certis CISCO officers have one main hour to return their own firearms at the end of their duty, to take into account unforeseen delays, random assignments and visitors jams, chief armourer Staff Sergeant Chiue Seng Yu informed the coroner’s inquiry.
This one-hour period started on the scheduled end moments of the deployment but not the time the officer returned to the Certis CISCO Centre.
Mr Elanko’s one-hour period therefore expired at midnight on Sep 19, 2020, despite the fact that he returned from duty ahead of the scheduled 11pm end period.
The Hands and Equipment Administration System (AEMS) might automatically send notifications to the duty officer and key officials if any Certis CISCO officer failed to return their guns within the one-hour time period.
At midnight on Sep 19, 2020, Certis CISCO’s operation control officer obtained an AEMS email alert that Mister Elanko had not came back his revolver since 11pm the day before.
The official checked the time tracking system and realised that Mr Elanko had already scanned out, meaning that he previously returned to the Certis CISCO Centre. This individual called Mr Elanko’s mobile phone, but did not get an answer.
From about twelve. 15am, the officer and another sergeant who also obtained the AEMS e-mail alert escalated the matter by informing various other officers including Employees Sgt Chiue and Certis CISCO’s management.
They carried out checks with the armoury and Security Transportation Unit (Banking plus Retail) which Mr Elanko was in, confirming that his revolver was not returned and that all teams within the unit had came back. Mr Elanko remained uncontactable by telephone.
At about 12. 45am, Assistant Commissioner Julian Chee, Leader of the Certis CISCO Auxiliary Police Force, has been notified that Mister Elanko was lacking. He instructed the particular officers to inform the authorities and check Mr Elanko’s locker.
Around 1am, Certis CISCO officers searched Mr Elanko’s locker and viewed closed-circuit television footage from the locker room showing that he had the revolver. He was also seen flagging a taxi.
Certis CISCO informed the authorities of the incident around 1 . 30am. Law enforcement officers went to East Coast Park to search for your pet at about 5. 30am, and discovered their body at about 6. 15am.
IMPROVEMENTS TO GUNS PROCEDURE
During the time of the incident in September 2020, the particular AEMS and the period tracking system are not linked, said AIR CONDITIONING UNIT Chee. After the incident, the systems had been linked in Oct 2020.
This particular meant that if an auxiliary police officer scanned out via the time tracking system just before his deployment officially ended and his gun was not yet came back to the armoury, a warn would be issued. The alerts would continue until the firearm had been returned.
There is also an escalation protocol if the officer was not contactable or there was a mistrust that the officer “no longer had a genuine justification” to possess the particular firearm, the coroner’s findings said.
The duty officer would certainly inform the police, along with other Certis CISCO officials would be mobilised to check CCTV footage plus search lockers as well as the officer’s deployment web site.
The escalation protocol was examined frequently and included police input, with the last review accomplished this year, according to AIR CONDITIONERS Chee.
“This enhancement will allow for a faster reaction to similar incidents if they take place in the future, ” said Judge Nakhoda.
In December last year, Certis CISCO also reviewed the timing for the majority of auxiliary law enforcement officers to return their firearms, taking into consideration the official responsibility end time and average transport period back to Certis CISCO Centre.
Additional police officers are also “individually tracked” until their own issued firearms are returned upon finishing their duty so as to minimise the risk of late return or non-return of the firearms, said the coroner’s results.
“MAY CERTAINLY NOT BE UNDERSTOOD”
Forensic analysis of Mr Elanko’s mobile phone revealed that he got done Internet queries on suicide and gunshot wounds within the early morning of Sep 18, 2020, before going to work.
The particular judge found that Mr Elanko experienced formed the intention to end his existence by that early morning, and put this purpose into action after completing his deployment later that evening.
Recollections through Mr Elanko’s relative and housemates painted a picture of an appropriated man who kept to himself. He or she did not show suicidal intentions or overt behavioural changes just before his death.
He had suffered a tragedy in 2015 or 2016 whenever his girlfriend died of cancer, but there was no indicator this was what spurred him to take their life, said the particular judge.
From his colleagues’ remembrances, Mr Elanko seemed to be a good worker. He previously no medical or financial concerns, added Judge Nakhoda.
“What may never ever be understood was your reason why Mr Elanko decided that he had no option still left in his life but to commit committing suicide, ” said Assess Nakhoda.