(Trinidad Express) In response to the upsurge in murders, Government was set to implement an immediate crackdown on crime by increasing joint army patrols in crime hotspots from last night.
National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy made the announcement yesterday at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair.
Sandy said the spike in murders was “disturbing and saddening” to the Prime Minister and her Government.
“What is even worse is that a number of our young people are being killed, and as a result, we have decided to ensure there is an increased law enforcement operation, with immediate effect,” he said.
The joint patrols, he said, will be targeting the areas where the killings have been occurring most frequently.
“There will be, from tonight, an increase in our joint patrols—police, army—in an effort to infiltrate those areas from which these homicides are being perpetrated. There are other operations for specific areas that I cannot disclose at this time, but every effort is being made by our law enforcement officers to ensure that this spate of serious crime is curtailed,” said Sandy.
The decision to increase patrols in crime hotspots comes on the heels of an admission from Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs last week that there was an increase in homicides over the past two months.
The murder toll for the year now stands at 176 as compared to 166 for the comparable period, according to Express statistics.
“We get to 2012; we have seen a bit of a resurgence of homicides in the last two months. Now, that is something that, of course, concerns us. Any time there is resurgence, we have to take a look at it and determine why this is happening.” Gibbs had said.
Sandy, when questioned yesterday, said the joint army patrols in crime hotspot areas are no “quick-fix” solutions as there is a crime plan that focuses on different areas of intervention.
One of these initiatives, he said, is the ministry’s effort to bring parents closer to their children.
He invited all parents to bring their children to the Grand Stand at the Queen’s Park Savannah in Port of Spain on June 16 for a Father’s Fair, which will be held under the patronage of President George Maxwell Richards.
Sandy said part of the intervention model to fight crime involves building the bond between father and son “because we recognise that in most instances, our young people are not guided by their parents”.
He appealed to parents to bring children who are fatherless to ensure that many benefit from this event.
Sporting events, career path planning and entertainment from top local artistes are some of the items listed for the event, said Sandy.
“It is my firm belief that once we get our family units back together, we’ll get our community units back together, and then our criminal activity will subside,” he said.
The minister said although there has been an increase in murders, there is a decrease in serious crimes altogether when compared to the figures last year.
Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, who also spoke at the post-Cabinet news briefing, added that police have formed an anti-gang unit that is dedicated to focusing on gangs. He said he received a briefing recently where he was assured that in the coming weeks, the fruits of this unit’s labour would be seen.
“I understand they are piecing together the digits or puzzle that comprises the criminal landscape, in so far as the gangs are concerned, but measured progress that is cause for quiet and hopeful optimism has been made, and in the near future, I will expect to see some better use and the benefits of the anti-gang legislation,” he said.
He added that there is “absolutely nothing wrong” with the anti-gang legislation, and all that was required was for police to enforce the law by intelligent policing by gathering the evidence to substantiate the offences under the legislation.
Sandy said police, in recent times, are being well trained with respect to gathering evidence.
Both Sandy and Ramlogan when questioned about the timing of the resurgence of gang-related homicides and the dismantling and restructuring of intelligence agencies such as the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) maintained that that in no way contributed to the increase in homicide rates.
Sandy said although SAUTT was in operation in 2008, there were some 549 murders.
