By Alicia Chamely
MORE than 200 priority offenders have been arrested in the first week of the State of Emergency (SoE).
In a video release on Friday, Commissioner of Police (CoP) Allister Guevarro gave a detailed update of the operations being carried out by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) during the first week of the SoE.
Guevarro said, “The first seven days of the SOE from July 18 to 25 marked a pivotal moment for law enforcement in TT. I have witnessed not only the operational might of our officers, but their courage, restraint and resilience under immense pressure.”
He said as of July 18, the TTPS had carried out 590 coordinated operations across divisions, which led to the arrest of 231 priority offenders.
Guevarro said the TTPS had also engaged in 3,837 thorough searches of vehicles and premises and 314 traffic enforcement exercises.
He said these searches and exercises led to the seizure of 27 illegal firearms, 339 rounds of assorted ammunition, over 7.5 kilogrammes of marijuana and nearly 120 grams of cocaine.
Guevarro said these seizures are a part of the TTPS’s mission to dismantle the illegal trade that feeds criminal enterprises.
Despite these achievements, the Commissioner said, “Among the week’s most defining moments were the successful rescues of kidnapped victims, which were a testament to swift coordination, tactical precision and the bravery of our officers under intense conditions.”
Guevarro continued, “That rescue didn’t just neutralise a threat it restored hope and affirmed the public’s trust in the TTPS.”
Discussing the collaboration between various branches of the TTPS, he said, “The Inter Agency Task Force exemplified precision policing this week executing 130 searches and capturing 10 high value targets. Their effectiveness reinforces the importance of collaboration and intelligence sharing within and beyond our agency.”
Addressing the public, he reminded them the TTPS was “applying pressure with purpose” and his officers were “striking the right balance between force and fairness.”
Guevarro said, “We are not indiscriminately targeting communities, we are surgically dismantling criminal threats, and we are doing so with accountability on every level.”
He praised the officers of the TTPS, saying through their efforts they have preserved the strong value system of the Service and helped restore public confidence in the TTPS.
Going forward, Guevarro said, “As the State of Emergency evolves, we will sharpen our focus, deepen our engagements and remain transparent with the public. Our mission is clear, and our momentum is real.”
The State of Emergency was declared on July 18 under the advice of Guevarro. The Commissioner stated he had received a report that a highly organized criminal syndicate working within the prisons was coordinating with members on the outside to carry out a series of attacks on high ranking personnel in the law enforcement and in the judicial system.
The SoE will be taken to a special sitting of Parliament on Monday to be debated.
