Summary
- No Curfews Enforced: Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Martin clarified that there are no official or unofficial curfews in place under the current State of Emergency (SoE).
- Targeting Crime, Not Communities: Dismissing claims of regional bias, the TTPS emphasised that increased police presence in areas like Sangre Grande is strictly intelligence-driven.
- Operation Steady Guard Launch: The police have initiated a targeted strategy to disrupt violent criminal networks, gang members, and organised drug trafficking across all divisions.
- Arrest Statistics: Since the SoE was declared on March 3, the TTPS has conducted 943 operations, resulting in 373 arrests and 66 individuals being charged.
- Repeat Detainees: Among those arrested, four individuals who were detained during the previous SoE have been rearrested under the current emergency powers.
By Alicia Chamely
THERE is no official or unofficial curfew being enforced under the current State of Emergency (SoE), and no single community is being targeted, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and SoE Goldstar Commander Suzette Martin.
Additionally, Martin revealed that under the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s (TTPS) SoE initiative, “Operation Steady Guard,” 373 people have been arrested since the SoE was declared on March 3.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday at the TTPS Administration Building in Port of Spain, Martin addressed circulating reports that a curfew was being enforced in certain communities.
“Let me state clearly, there is no unofficial curfew,” Martin said. “However, under emergency powers regulations, officers are authorized to conduct patrols, road checks, and enforcement exercises where intelligence indicates a threat to public safety.”
She explained that these actions are lawful and necessary. “They will continue in areas such as Sangre Grande and other parts of the Eastern Division. The increased police presence is based on intelligence relating to gang movement, illegal firearms, and emerging criminal networks.”
@azpnews.com There is no curfew and no specific communities are being targeted in the current SoE says DCP, SoE Gold Commander Suzette Martin. Video: Alicia Chamely @ttpoliceservice #soe #ttps #stateofemergency #nocurfew #suzettemartin
Martin added, “Let me be absolutely clear on this: no community is being targeted. Criminal activity is being targeted.”
Discussing police operations under the SoE, Martin noted that the TTPS had launched Operation Steady Guard. The operation, she said, is “designed to apply sustained, intelligence-driven pressure against violent criminal networks, with a particular focus on known gang members, criminal organisations, individuals involved in violent offenses, illegal firearms possession and trafficking, and organized drug trafficking networks.”
Under this strategy, operational teams across all divisions are conducting targeted enforcement exercises, coordinated patrols, and intelligence-led operations aimed at disrupting criminal activity and stabilising communities affected by violent crime.
@azpnews.com DCP, SoE Gold Commander Suzette Martin announces TTPS’s SoE Operation Steady Guard. Video: Alicia Chamely @ttpoliceservice#soe #ttps #stateofemergency #suzettemartin #steadyguard
With the objective of disrupting and dismantling criminal networks, she issued a stern warning: “Let me send a clear message to those involved in violent crime. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is fully mobilised. Our officers are deployed across the country, and our operations team will continue to pursue those responsible for criminal activity with determination.”
Martin provided an update on the results of the SoE operations to date:
TTPS SoE Operation Statistics (As of Friday):
| Category | Total Count |
|---|---|
| Operations Conducted | 943 |
| Total Arrests | 373 |
| Persons Charged | 66 |
| Firearms Recovered | 18 |
| Ammunition Recovered | 949 rounds |
| Cocaine Seized | 720 grams |
| Marijuana Seized | 230.58 kilograms |
| Cannabis Trees Destroyed | 88 |
| Ecstasy Seized | 1.54 grams |
When questioned whether any of those arrested during this SoE had also been detained under the previous SoE and subsequently released, Martin confirmed that four people arrested under the prior SoE have been rearrested under the current emergency declaration.
