Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro says even though crime is trending downwards, the Trinidad and Tobago population remains “obsessed with crime”.
Mr. Guevarro made the statement as he engaged members of the business community at the “Conversations with the Commissioner of Police” on Thursday.
Hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, “Conversations with the Commissioner of Police” aimed to discuss issues relating to national security, public safety and collaboration between law enforcement and the business community.
Commissioner Guevarro highlighted the work of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and explained gains made in the area of crime reduction.
“They criticised the TTPS even when the country achieved the 42% reduction in homicides in 2025, which is the second largest annual percentage reduction in the world. Not in Trinidad, you know, in the world. The only other country to reduce homicides by an annual percentage figure of 55%, we were 42, they went 55, was El Salvador.”
The Commissioner of Police called for a major shift in public focus.
“We need to get the fear of crime out of the mindset of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. I took pains to bring all the data to show you that crime is trending downward.”
Commissioner Guevarro said the wide use of cell phones and other cameras are contributing to the continuing mindset.
“These are things that have been taking place ever since, persons are being robbed, persons are being kidnapped, persons, it’s crime, ever present. What is different now is that there is a greater presence of CCTV cameras, a greater presence of mobile phones and people doing recording. So now it is highlighted more in the public sphere. And that is the situation that is one of the elements fuelling the fear of crime.”
The Commissioner of Police noted that other jurisdictions are interested in copying the local model to reduce the levels of crime in their countries.