Kevon Felmine
Published: Friday, August 22, 2014
Despite
police claims of a reduction in serious crimes, acting Police
Commissioner Stephen Williams says there has been a five per cent
increase of murders being committed with guns. Responding to questions
from Port-of-Spain residents at the T&T Police Service town meeting
at Queen’s Royal College on Wednesday night, Williams said the police
would increase its efforts over the next four months to ensure this
year’s murder toll did not surpass 2013’s figure. While reports of rape
and larceny offences had decreased, he said he recognised murders were
the most concern to citizens.
He admitted while serious crimes were down, there were more murders, which is one offence under serious crimes, for the first eight months of this year, as compared to the same period last year. Williams said: “As an organisation we do in fact know that the society is most impacted by murders and it’s in that context, we have launched a massive medium-term plan... policing strategy around violent crime hot spots. “It is geared heavily toward prevention where we have seen the greatest number of violent crimes and we are focusing on those locations that we can drive the homicide rate down, firstly from the point of prevention. “Trinidad and Tobago may experience an average of 70 per cent, but in 2014, we are experiencing around 75 per cent of the murders being committed by firearms.
As an organisation we have noted that and we have been pursuing the recovery of firearms as our number one priority.” He added: “What we have found is that in 2014 we have taken off the streets, out of the hands of criminals, in excess of 380 firearms. “It is the highest number of firearms taken off the street in any comparable period in our organisation’s history. “We have had more activities because we know guns are killing people and we need to get guns out of the hands of the criminals. “In 2014, we have had high activities on that... we are working and over the next two months you will see us working harder, doubling, tripling, quadrupling our efforts at times, all geared towards ensuring that very said barometer of murders, does not go beyond 2013 figures.”
Gang violence claims 91
Out of the 273 murders that occurred up to Wednesday, Williams said 91 lives were claimed due to gang violence. He said most of those gang violence were also linked to robberies. He said 20 people have been killed as a result of domestic violence. As residents of Scott Bushe Street, Woodbrook, made emotional appeals for a greater police presence due to an onslaught by bandits, public information officer Wayne Mystar called on citizens to use the emergency numbers.
However, residents said whether they contact the Emergency 999 numbers, they did not get through. Williams blamed that on a lack of proper equipment and staff. He said the Emergency Call Centre would be upgraded soon and staff trained to better deal with the public. He explained: “There are two major disconnects, one has to do with the quality of technology and the second one has to do with the quality of staff. “As it relates to the quality of technology, there is an entire upgrade that is rolling out now in relation to our Emergency Call Centre. ‘New technology would have been brought in with what is referred to as the Harris Project. “With the new technology, we also have to work on the staff so that we don’t have the challenge of having high quality technology to provide the service, but the staff is failing on us.
“So we are working on the staff as the second part of the programme as I’m hoping that come September or October when we are having our next meeting, you can call 999 and get good quality help.” Despite T&T crime problem, Williams said there were communities where there were no crimes. He listed Matelot and some areas in Tobago as crime-free zones and said the Police Service would seek to add other parts of T&T to that list.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-08-22/top-cop-we%E2%80%99re-high-gear-stop-murders
He admitted while serious crimes were down, there were more murders, which is one offence under serious crimes, for the first eight months of this year, as compared to the same period last year. Williams said: “As an organisation we do in fact know that the society is most impacted by murders and it’s in that context, we have launched a massive medium-term plan... policing strategy around violent crime hot spots. “It is geared heavily toward prevention where we have seen the greatest number of violent crimes and we are focusing on those locations that we can drive the homicide rate down, firstly from the point of prevention. “Trinidad and Tobago may experience an average of 70 per cent, but in 2014, we are experiencing around 75 per cent of the murders being committed by firearms.
As an organisation we have noted that and we have been pursuing the recovery of firearms as our number one priority.” He added: “What we have found is that in 2014 we have taken off the streets, out of the hands of criminals, in excess of 380 firearms. “It is the highest number of firearms taken off the street in any comparable period in our organisation’s history. “We have had more activities because we know guns are killing people and we need to get guns out of the hands of the criminals. “In 2014, we have had high activities on that... we are working and over the next two months you will see us working harder, doubling, tripling, quadrupling our efforts at times, all geared towards ensuring that very said barometer of murders, does not go beyond 2013 figures.”
Gang violence claims 91
Out of the 273 murders that occurred up to Wednesday, Williams said 91 lives were claimed due to gang violence. He said most of those gang violence were also linked to robberies. He said 20 people have been killed as a result of domestic violence. As residents of Scott Bushe Street, Woodbrook, made emotional appeals for a greater police presence due to an onslaught by bandits, public information officer Wayne Mystar called on citizens to use the emergency numbers.
However, residents said whether they contact the Emergency 999 numbers, they did not get through. Williams blamed that on a lack of proper equipment and staff. He said the Emergency Call Centre would be upgraded soon and staff trained to better deal with the public. He explained: “There are two major disconnects, one has to do with the quality of technology and the second one has to do with the quality of staff. “As it relates to the quality of technology, there is an entire upgrade that is rolling out now in relation to our Emergency Call Centre. ‘New technology would have been brought in with what is referred to as the Harris Project. “With the new technology, we also have to work on the staff so that we don’t have the challenge of having high quality technology to provide the service, but the staff is failing on us.
“So we are working on the staff as the second part of the programme as I’m hoping that come September or October when we are having our next meeting, you can call 999 and get good quality help.” Despite T&T crime problem, Williams said there were communities where there were no crimes. He listed Matelot and some areas in Tobago as crime-free zones and said the Police Service would seek to add other parts of T&T to that list.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2014-08-22/top-cop-we%E2%80%99re-high-gear-stop-murders
No comments:
Post a Comment