Caption: Deputy Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin
By Alicia Chamely
THE Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) does not need a bill to be passed or State of Emergency (SoE) to deal with criminality in Trinidad and Tobago.
This was the sentiment of Deputy Police Commissioner Junior Benjamin at a press conference on Wednesday at the TTPS Administration Building, Port of Spain.
Benjamin was asked, with the State of Emergency set to expire and the failure of Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) to be passed, what approach would the TTPS take in relation to crime fighting.
He responded, “The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, we have always been involved in crime prevention, crime detection and crime conviction strategies. These strategies will continue to be part and parcel of what the police do on a regular basis.”
“So therefore, Bill being passed does not indicate what we do,” he stated.
Benjamin said under Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro, the TTPS would fulfil their objectives.
He said, “We have a strategic planner, an operational planner, the Commissioner of Police, he is in total control of the police service, and he has been engaging all the various arms of the police service to ensure that we fulfil our goals and objective.”
“So, I want to assure Trinidad and Tobago, that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is ready to ensure that 2026 will be a year where we go out there and do our jobs without fear or favour,” he assured.
However, when asked to comment on matters related to the January 20, police shooting of Joshua Samaroo and his common- law wife Kaia Sealy, Benjamin chose not to answer.
Questioned in regard to the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago’s recent assertion that self-defence could not be argued by the TTPS officers, as CCTV video showed Samaroo holding his hand up out of the car in surrender, Benjamin deflected.
He said, “Well, I just want to say again that as we deal with the situation, we are actively investigating all our matters. We believe in a level of transparency, integrity and accountability. And that, I can assure you will be done in all our matters. Nevertheless, we want to know the purpose why we’re here, which is that of the School Oriented Policing Unit.”
Further questioned as to the status of the officers who shot and killed Samaroo and gravely injured Sealy, Benjamin responded, “At this point in time I’m unable to go into that because, as you know, I came Here dealing with the particular issue that I’ve just stated here.”
