Regional security consultant Dr Garvin Heerah joins us to assess the impact of the recently concluded State of Emergency, which ended at midnight on the 31st following 301 days in effect. During this period, Trinidad and Tobago recorded a 42 per cent reduction in murders, with 2025 ending at 369 homicides — the lowest figure in more than a decade — alongside measurable declines in robberies and break-ins.
Dr Heerah unpacks what contributed to these results, including intelligence-led policing, operational coordination, and the legal authority provided by the State of Emergency. He also examines how success should be measured beyond arrests, the importance of prosecution readiness and institutional reform, and what must happen now to sustain crime reduction gains without continued emergency powers.