(Trinidad Guardian) Following increased gang warfare last October and November, three security agencies are populating a gang database, “acquiring associates of gangs”, identifying people of interest and seizing firearms and narcotics.
But a significant percentage of murders in the situation resulted from conflicts pertaining to land, familial relationships and other domestic issues.
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds gave this information in the Senate yesterday replying to queries from UNC Senator Wade Mark.
Mark, citing increased homicides over last October and November as a result of gang warfare, sought measures being implemented by the TTPS to address this in high-risk areas, including Laventille.
Hinds said to deal with the upsurge between October and November 2021, including murders, the Police Service implemented several measures:
Allocation of additional resources to divisional operations and investigative units, to improve response times and contribute to the successful prosecution of violent offenders;
Partnering with other departments, agencies and stakeholders to successfully enhance the capacity of investigative departments in managing cases and increasing crime detection;
Increased patrols in East and Downtown Port-of-Spain districts, safe zones and other areas.
Hinds added there have also been joint stop and search exercises in collaboration with officers of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF), in East Port-of-Spain and other geographical areas where gangs are known to operate.
“This measure is aimed at populating a gang database, acquiring associates of gangs, identifying persons of interest, obtaining biodata on gangs and seizing firearms and narcotics; and continued deployment of community policing initiatives.”
These include the provision of free legal clinics in collaboration with attorneys to assist citizens in dealing with their legal issues; the donation of food, clothing and provision of other social support services to citizens; the opening of a Community Conflict Resolution Centre in St Joseph to assist in reducing domestic conflict and provision of personal safety tips/ measures and meaningful community engagement with residents, the business community and other interest groups.
On another query, Hinds said measures to treat with attacks on members of the protective services and young persons include: strengthened partnerships between TTPS and Trinidad and Tobago Prison Service to ensure increased intelligence capacity.
“This has led to the recent seizures of mobile phones and other contraband items at the Maximum Security Prison, Arouca, as well as the arrest of rogue prison officers,” Hinds added, detailing strengthened youth outreach initiatives.
On whether arrangements are being made for the families of two prison officers murdered last November to receive $1 million dollars each in compensation, Hinds said, “The Ministry is guided by the policy approved by Cabinet in 2016, as it relates to compensation for officers of the Protective Service who are killed in the line of duty.”
He said there were cases where the officer wasn’t on the actual duty but compensation was paid as they were a law enforcement officer.
Hinds and Mark who sparred several times were ordered by Senate President Christine Kangaloo to apologise.
