The Government is stepping up its crime-fighting strategy with increased collaboration among the police, Defence Force and Municipal Police, as new joint security posts come on stream.
At Thursday’s operationalisation of the joint police and army mobile post at the Eddie Hart Grounds, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro said the TTPS is ready to take on any additional responsibilities if the proposed Special Operations Bill is passed.
He added that police and Defence Force personnel are prepared to intensify the fight against criminal elements.
“The Police Service we already have all the resources necessary to carry out that function, but I don’t want to speak too much on the Bill because it still has to be debated in Parliament, and the persons who could speak on that are standing right behind me. But at the end of the day, TTPS as well as the TTDF, and I want to speak freely because we are all part of one law enforcement organisation, we stand prepared and ready to do what it takes to make sure we take back Trinidad and Tobago from the criminals.”
The new security measures will also place emphasis on the behaviour of residents in communities.
Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander urged citizens to hold criminal elements accountable.
“The behaviour of persons in your community will determine whether or not your area becomes a special operations area, so if you are behaving good by all means, but if you are terrorising the community and all of that, who knows what will happen next. So it’s because of persons in your community and their behaviour, hold them accountable.”
With Municipal Police also joining joint patrols alongside the TTPS and Defence Force, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen said the Government is taking a more coordinated approach to tackling crime.
“For so many years, we have had murders increasing and everybody throwing their hands in the air. You have had poor excuses based on bureaucracy, based on all kinds of things. And I think when the Prime Minister speaks and she is firm about crime fighting, and there are some things that she may not disclose to the public as head of the National Security Council. But I know that she is very committed to this. So as a representative of the people, I’m happy for my communities.”
The Eddie Hart Grounds joint police and army mobile post joins the Tarouba and Grand Bazaar police posts already in operation, with 27 more expected to come on stream.