Divisional Commander of the Northern (North) Division and Head of Special Operations in Maloney, Senior Superintendent Avalon Frank, has assured residents that the Special Operations Order in the area is intended to help dismantle gang activity and restore safety within the community.
He was speaking to residents at the Maloney Indoor Facility on Wednesday evening, where members of the community met with officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to apply for curfew permits, voice their concerns and seek answers, following the declaration of Maloney as a ‘closed area’ under the Special Operations Order on Tuesday night.
Speaking during the community sensitisation event, he said violent crimes carried out by gangs in the community are endangering the lives of law-abiding citizens.
“It’s not a state of oppression, but in order to bring back some form of public safety and sanctity within the Maloney Gardens, we have to act.”
The Senior Superintendent pointed to a recent shooting at Building 13.
“It was so bad that we had children had to run because people started firing guns indiscriminately. It started at Building 13 and ended at Building 14, where somebody else was shot, a stone’s throw away from the police station.”
With a mandatory curfew now imposed on Maloney residents from 9pm to 5am, Senior Superintendent Frank warned against irresponsible behaviour.
“So the liming by the building, the drinking, the playing cards, the selling drugs, the liming by your sister and your brother and your friend to gossip and whatever, is not supposed to happen. The permits will be issued based on reasonable grounds for leaving.”
Residents also had an opportunity to raise concerns and make suggestions during an open-floor discussion.
“Is it possible to create a site or a WhatsApp channel where the same information that has been shared this evening or upcoming information be posted, because what I am seeing is on social media people sharing things that are random and may not be legal or in keeping with this ZOSO?”
Following the discussion, several residents applied for permits and engaged directly with police officers.