A renewed direction

[Emily]

Does that say somewhere that he retired to the Netherlands......I must have missed it?

I recall one version where it was claimed that it was common for them to "rotate" commisioners between the Netherland Antilles. Hard to believe any of it. He may have been demoted to Bonaire for his "help" in the Holloway case - it's not like anyone is gonna to issue a presser claiming such...

His contract ended. Sounds very simple.

[resigned]

His contract ended. Sounds very simple.

According to BonDia in December 2005????? Oh please

STARTING DATE
The initial date mentioned for the police veteran to start his new position in Bonaire, according to Minister David Dick, is the 1st of January, 2006. But in practice, it seems that this will be a little later. “This is the main point. But everything has to be settled” vd Straten continued to say. He will not base it on a verbal agreement nor on a written one, but on a country decision.

“It is on a letter from the Minister that they will be in full agreement, but for me it has to be a country agreement to delay my pension”, vd Straten said. About the question that if he is asked to extend his permanency in Bonaire after a year, he categorically said no. “I am willing to work between 6 and 12 months in Bonaire. However, do not forget that I am retired. And my heart is in Aruba. I like working in Bonaire, but until now I live very well in Aruba” vd Straten finally said.

http://getagripmonkey.blogspot.com/2005 ... -will.html

He categorically said no to extending his contract in Bonaire (so it says) yet he was there until 2008 - about the time Rudy Croes was claiming he interfered in the Holloway case. I know....no proof.

[Emily]

According to BonDia in December 2005????? Oh please

http://getagripmonkey.blogspot.com/2005 ... -will.html

He categorically said no to extending his contract in Bonaire (so it says) yet he was there until 2008 - about the time Rudy Croes was claiming he interfered in the Holloway case. I know....no proof.

So for you everything is a lie unless it's what you want to hear. There isn't much point discussing anything with you.

[CherokeeKid]

But you did it for him.....I thought you would like the opportunity to follow-up on his life since you seem to know him so well.

No need for me to follow up on anything Jan van der Straten does. I'm not the one obsessed with him.

It was mentioned many times that he would retire. Here is an excerpt:

In any event, according to Police Commissioner Jan van der Straten, initial head of the investigation until his 2005 retirement, Holloway did not have to go through the lobby to return to her room

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalee_Ho ... te_note-43

[K_Meine]

the responsible jobs in antilles law enforcement. they seem to be just fine with him but the board gossips/smearers "know" better.

The current question isn't about what people in the Antilles law enforcement think. It's about what you stated. You stated he was a first rate cop for a reason and I wonder if that wasn't just because you both might be from similar geographical backgrounds. I appreciate your attempts to put words in my mouth but at no point did I say he was a shitty cop. I'm just looking for answers, like some others, and Jan seems to be as good a starting point as the others. The following are some points I find "interesting":

1. He was the lead investigator when Natalee went missing.
2. He was friends with Paulus and said "I can't let this happen to my friend"
3. He left after only a month which just seems odd for a career policeman.
4. He mentioned something about Joran going into a mental institution.
5. He was slow to start the investigation.

Now I may be the only person who finds the above statements slightly suspicious and that's ok. Hell maybe none of the above is even true and was just more useless information perpetuated by the media sources. In the end I just really want to know what happened to Natalee and hope that the Holloway family get some inkling of closure instead of being dicked around by people who are only serving their own self interests.

[resigned]

So for you everything is a lie unless it's what you want to hear. There isn't much point discussing anything with you.

Not at all - there are many questionable remarks by many individuals throughout the 6 years this case has begun. I don't believe all that is written from any source whether it is on Aruba or in the US or Holland. Articles written after the fact/events have taken place are usually self- serving and written in a revisionist fashion.

Do you find BonDia credible? Why - what breaking news have they ever reported about on this case?

[K_Meine]

Not at all - there are many questionable remarks by many individuals throughout the 6 years this case has begun. I don't believe all that is written from any source whether it is on Aruba or in the US or Holland. Articles written after the fact/events have taken place are usually self- serving and written in a revisionist fashion.

Do you find BonDia credible? Why - what breaking news have they ever reported about on this case?

The unfortunate reality is most, if not all, media sources tend to "liven" up even the most mundane subject matter in order to sell more product. Those tactics only further distort the reality of how events actually unfolded. BonDia, National Enquirer, etc. can be fun to read in the check out line but the content is hardly worth the paper it's printed on. IMO we all take a risk in forming thoughts and opinions when the information provided to the masses is potentially filled with misinformation in some form. C'est la vie.

[Black-Tulip]

The unfortunate reality is most, if not all, media sources tend to "liven" up even the most mundane subject matter in order to sell more product. Those tactics only further distort the reality of how events actually unfolded. BonDia, National Enquirer, etc. can be fun to read in the check out line but the content is hardly worth the paper it's printed on. IMO we all take a risk in forming thoughts and opinions when the information provided to the masses is potentially filled with misinformation in some form. C'est la vie.

Are you a BonDia reader?

[wanderer]

The unfortunate reality is most, if not all, media sources tend to "liven" up even the most mundane subject matter in order to sell more product. Those tactics only further distort the reality of how events actually unfolded. BonDia, National Enquirer, etc. can be fun to read in the check out line but the content is hardly worth the paper it's printed on. IMO we all take a risk in forming thoughts and opinions when the information provided to the masses is potentially filled with misinformation in some form. C'est la vie.

Reality can never be distorted.

[iquitos]

1. He was the lead investigator when Natalee went missing.

Because Noord had jurisdiction?

2. He was friends with Paulus and said "I can't let this happen to my friend"

Where does this quote come from?

3. He left after only a month which just seems odd for a career policeman.

I think he reached retirement age. His retirement was already scheduled.

4. He mentioned something about Joran going into a mental institution.

He was trying to extract a confession from Joran. What is wrong with that?

5. He was slow to start the investigation.

I don't think that is supported by the facts.

[yankee-in-france]

Why would Jan want to extract a confession from Joran if he didn't believe that Joran was involved in a crime?

[Black-Tulip]

Why would Jan want to extract a confession from Joran if he didn't believe that Joran was involved in a crime?

Where did he say he didn't believe it? I have never seen such a quote.

[resigned]

Jan just didn't do anything in a timely manner about Natalee's disappearance regarding J2K. The Arubans work slowly - it is not like the American system...unless you're just security guards bumming cigarettes and hitting on women and don't have any relatives at the OM.

[resigned]

1. He was the lead investigator when Natalee went missing.

Because Noord had jurisdiction?

Why did Noord have jurisdiction - she was last seen in Oranjestaad.

[yankee-in-france]

Where did he say he didn't believe it? I have never seen such a quote.

IQ in a previous post responded to KMeine's point that Jan had recommended that Joran go to a mental instituion, "He was trying to extract a confession from Joran. What is wrong with that?"

My post related to that point. Why would Jan be trying to extract a confession from Joran if he believed Joran to be innocent of a crime? Would he recommend a mental institution to a suspect who he believed to be innocent of any criminal involvement?

[Black-Tulip]

IQ in a previous post responded to KMeine's point that Jan had recommended that Joran go to a mental instituion, "He was trying to extract a confession from Joran. What is wrong with that?"

My post related to that point. Why would Jan be trying to extract a confession from Joran if he believed Joran to be innocent of a crime? Would he recommend a mental institution to a suspect who he believed to be innocent of any criminal involvement?

I think a policeman has to do his job. You start with a suspect just because there are reasons for suspicion. An experienced policeman will start with a gut feeling.

His belief (a founded one) whether the suspect is guilty or not comes AFTER the interrogations. So it was soon found out that Joran was a (pathological?) liar and maybe other mental problems.

I only wonder how do you know what Jan believes or believed about Joran's guilt or his innocence? Did he say Joran is innocent? Is guilty?

Now Dompig didn't make a secret of his thoughts but Jan?
So I asked have you? A quote from Jan, when and where?

[yankee-in-france]

Last quote does not exists!

BT, I explained in my previous post the basis for it. Jan had indicated that from his knowledge of the investigation that he did not believe that Natalee was alive. IQ had posted that Jan suggested a mental institution because he was trying to get a confession from Joran.

I understand your position but to me it seems that he would not have suggested a mental institution for a young man who he considered free of any criminal involvement. I posted it as a question not a fact:

yankee-in-france wrote:
"
Why would Jan want to extract a confession from Joran if he didn't believe that Joran was involved in a crime?"

I don't know Jan or what he believes. I just found wondered why a mental institution was suggested to a suspect who he considered innocent. You have given me your thoughts and you may well be right.

[yankee-in-france]

ETA

While law enforcement officers may withhold their findings until an investigation is completed, I do believe that they have gut feelings about a suspect and being privy to all evidence and reports, have opinions before the end of an investigation.

Do you believe that Jan suggested the mental institution for Joran because Joran was a pathological liar?

[Black-Tulip]

ETA

While law enforcement officers may withhold their findings until an investigation is completed, I do believe that they have gut feelings about a suspect and being privy to all evidence and reports, have opinions before the end of an investigation.

Do you believe that Jan suggested the mental institution for Joran because Joran was a pathological liar?

Maybe. Mental issues for sure and such a suggestion makes only sense if Joran was aware of those problems himself. I still see it as an interrogation tool to get a confession. The police doesn't make such decisions IMO, a judge does. Jan could make a recommendation I guess.

[yankee-in-france]

Yes, I would think that if Joran was guilty of a crime and confessed that a recommendation by the head of the investigation might be considered when a judicial decision was made. I understand there is no plea bargaining under the Aruban system, but maybe if a defendant is mentally ill, this is how they do it. I do not know.

[Emily]

Maybe. Mental issues for sure and such a suggestion makes only sense if Joran was aware of those problems himself. I still see it as an interrogation tool to get a confession. The police doesn't make such decisions IMO, a judge does. Jan could make a recommendation I guess.

I think it was just a strategy to get a confession. He was trying to sound nice and understanding.

Here's 2 bits from an interrogation of Christopher Porco about the murder of his father who was a lawyer known to the police. I think they strike a tone similar to Straten.

DETECTIVE BOWDISH: Honestly, honest to God. I knew your father for a long time. That's why I'm saying that maybe, maybe something got out of hand, all right? I'm trying -- I don't -- you know, I'm trying to say maybe I can -- I can help a little bit here. Maybe, all right? But somebody -- you've got to work with me a little bit, all right? I've got to try

DETECTIVE RINALDI: Listen, all right. I've known you for how long? For a long time, all right? I'm not going to ask you anything. We'll take a ride and let's try to straighten this out, okay? We're going to go up to -- we'll go and take a polygraph and make sure you're -- at least exonerate you.

[yankee-in-france]

.. but why would the head of a missing person investigation ever want to pry a confession out of a 17 year old who was also the son of a judge-in-training from a well-respected family. I know that it happens many places, but if that was Jan's intent, to pry a confession out of an innocent teenager, what does that say about Jan?

[Emily]

.. but why would the head of a missing person investigation ever want to pry a confession out of a 17 year old who was also the son of a judge-in-training from a well-respected family. I know that it happens many places, but if that was Jan's intent, to pry a confession out of an innocent teenager, what does that say about Jan?

Who is saying Straten thought Joran was innocent?

[Black-Tulip]

Who is saying Straten thought Joran was innocent?

Indeed, that's what I am asking.

[yankee-in-france]

Who is saying Straten thought Joran was innocent?

Do you think that Strataan thought Joran was guilty with his offer of a mental hospital?