(Trinidad Express) Look out, Mr Bigs, the police are coming after you. Again.
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), under the leadership of its new police commissioner, Erla Harewood-Christopher, has vowed to go after the Mr Bigs in crime.
And they are promising the country will see a reduction in crime this month and in the future.
Top TTPS members yesterday appeared before the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on National Security on behalf of the police commissioner, who was unable to attend as she was said to be engaged in matters of national security.
JSC member Independent Senator Paul Richards noted that the people of T&T are paralysed with fear—and asked whether Police Service strategies are really working, given the crime data.
ACP Criminal Division Winston Maharaj admitted the approach used by the police in the past has not yielded expected results, but said they have adopted a new paradigm.
“We readily admit that our approach in the past as is evidenced by the results we are seeing within recent times, recent years, they are not as overwhelming or as comforting as we would want. We have re-strategised and in the strategies… are now operationalising certain key pieces of legislation because we know with crime and criminality someone benefits, and so with that in mind we are targeting those beneficiaries and we had a landmark ruling quite recently by the Court of Appeal sometime at the end of January with respect to wealth and explaining your wealth,” he said.
He said this is something they intend to operationalise in conjunction with the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Maharaj continued, “We plan and have systems in place without wanting to say too much, the jailhouse economy as we call it. We have systems in place that are geared to addressing that.”
He said there is a system in place to address the larceny of motor vehicles which is the method criminals use to move with firearms to perpetrate crimes to the benefit of someone.
Maharaj said the numbers will decrease.
“There will be some level of control, downward trend, in the perpetration of crime in February and moving forward. We are confident with the strategies we have put in place, the old methods have perhaps outlived its usefulness and we have a new paradigm, a new direction and that is the direction that we are going,” he said.
Acting DCP Intelligence and Investigations Curt Simon also said that based on strategies, the country can expect a reduction in crime.
He said the police commissioner-elect held a meeting on Tuesday where she gave mandates, and divisions now have figures they will be working towards.
Every division got an actual number that the commissioner has given them to manage, he said. “We are looking to significantly impact and reduce that crime output that is occurring right now in this country,” he added.
He also acknowledged the crime figures are exceedingly high and the Police Service recognises the role it has to play.
Simon said the police executive is “confident” it can do it, and there is “extra energy” to get things done.
Cameras not working
In response to questions from Opposition MP Dr Roodal Moonilal with respect to CCTV cameras, Simon said the number of cameras not working was alarming. He said the police are working with citizens with respect to getting their cameras onto the police database with the assistance of the legal department.
Moonilal also raised questions with respect to the use of “police” paraphernalia by the criminal elements, and asked what action was being taken in dealing with this.
Simon said the commissioner and the Police Service are concerned about this, and action has been taken to deal with the problem.
Simon said internally, there was instruction that only the police task force is allowed to use certain types of kits, and that the charge room personnel will revert to the blue and grey.
He said the masks worn by police officers during Covid-19 must be removed when interacting with the public. “We have instructed that it be removed when persons are dealing directly with the public,” he said.
Simon said with respect to other people using the police “kit”, they have looked at legislation which speaks against it.
He said they are planning a meeting with security agencies which use kits similar to the police to address this.
Meetings, he said, are also planned with the Customs and Excise Division to discuss the importation of swivel-light sirens.
Asked by Moonilal whether two mobile scanners in police possession were working, Simon said they were not working due to technical issues.
JSC chairman Keith Scotland said he was told the State expended over $25 million to purchase these two scanners which detect firearms, adding, “I just do not understand why they aren’t functioning.”
Simon said he can only relate what he was told—that there are some technical issues with them.
