Opposition Senator Damian Lyder says the police service is in a state of malfunction.

He says the escalating murder rate is proof of this.

Senator Lyder also said the criminal justice system continues to fail.

He said these are the main reasons why he and many others in the country cannot and will not support the Bill.

Senator Lyder said the homicide rate is bolting towards 600 and citizens have no confidence in the TTPS to solve crimes.

He said the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is also broken.

Mr. Lyder believes it will create additional backlog in the courts if the Bill is passed.

The debate is expected to continue today.