More than 9,000 applicants are seeking to join the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, as the organisation moves forward with a major expansion drive.
Acting Senior Superintendent Richard Taylor, attached to the Police Training Academy, says the academy’s focus is on producing capable officers through rigorous screening, specialised training, and continuous professional development.
“The question before us is whether the training we give them is equal to their potential and equal to the moment they are entering.”
He said the TTPS has strengthened its training curriculum to better equip recruits to address persistent crime challenges while building public confidence.
“A case lost on a poorly taken statement is a suspect returned to the street. Over the course of their training, recruits study law and police procedure, taking statements, firearms, and the use of force, human rights, ethics, and integrity, conflict resolution and de-escalation of force, and community policing and customer service training alongside physical training and drill.”
The latest recruitment exercise attracted more than 9,000 applicants, who are currently undergoing the verification process.
The exercise follows an announcement earlier this year by Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander that the Government intends to expand the Police Service to 10,200 sanctioned officers over a five-year period.
He explained that the latest recruitment drive seeks to maintain a sustained operational presence of about 7,800 officers.
“The Commissioner plans to recruit university graduates with a cadre of specialists from universities and trade schools for areas such as forensics and polygraph work. This drive is meant to deliver more than just numbers. Government expects the added strength to improve police visibility and response time.”
Recruits must also undergo a series of examinations, including polygraph, medical, drug and agility testing, and psychological assessment.
Although the 2023-2024 Budget sought to increase the annual intake from 300 to 1,000 recruits, many applicants failed to meet the required psychological screening standards.
Against the backdrop of incidents that have raised questions about police conduct and accountability, Acting Senior Superintendent Richard Taylor said training and retraining remain key priorities.
“We must remember that officers have split seconds to make a decision, which the court then has a period of time to sit and decide whether or not the decision the officers made at that time was prudent. So something that can be done and will be reinforced going forward is that continued retraining.”
He also assured that all recruits are trained to utilise body cameras.