(Trinidad Guardian) National Security Minister Stuart Young said yesterday that during a meeting with Police Commissioner, Gary Griffith, he was told that the units include the Special Operations Response Team (SORT), the Inter-Agency Task Force and Guard and Emergency Branch.
“They are going to be some of the next units to be provided with body cameras by the Commissioner of Police and administrative arm of the Police Service.”
Speaking on the issue, Griffith said did not think there would be any objection to body cameras as they will be equipped to protect the officers.
“The body cameras will now defend my police officers when they are wrongfully accused,” Griffith said.
Officers of SORT are among those now subject to an investigation into the deaths of two suspects in the Andrea Bharatt kidnapping and murder.
The minister, meanwhile, maintains that no external agencies are needed for an investigation into the deaths of the two suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Andrea Bharatt, Andrew Morris and Joel Balcon.
The two men died while in police custody.
Young addressed a media conference yesterday and responded to calls made by the Law Association of T&T (LATT) to bring in foreign investigators to ensure that the investigation is entirely independent.
Young said he is well aware that Morris and Balcon passed away while under police responsibility.
“As I’ve always said as the Minister of National Security, it is my position that no one is above the law.”
“There should never be a cover-up and everyone is subject to the parameters of the law,” he added.
Young said if there are video recordings of what is alleged to have taken place with Morris while in police custody, he expects whoever is in possession of those recordings will take it to the proper authorities for proper investigation.
He said he had a meeting with Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith and the three acting deputies – McDonald Jacob, Beverly Lewis, and Joanne Archie – to ask them and get an account on the allegations.
