By Chantalé Fletcher
NINETY-FOUR of the 108 murders for the year thus far involved firearms.
This according to Acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob at the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) press conference on Thursday.
Speaking at the Inter-Agency Task Force office in Aranguez, he announced the simultaneous launch of the Multi-Agency Firearm Retrieval Initiative and National Operations Task Force (NOTF).
He indicated that the new National Task Force was a combined effort of the TTPS and the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force aimed as an operational unit to support all police operations.
Jacob added the Task Force would be spearheaded by DCP Operations Joanie Archie, and Director of Operations of Defence Staff and included other personnel from the Trinidad and Tobago Prisons Service, Customs and Immigration, and the Municipal Police Service.
The NOTF replaced the former Special Operations Response Team (SORT), however head of the IATF Senior Supt Oswain Subero would take charge of the administration aspectwhile the former head of SORT Senior Sup Roger Alexander would manage operations.
Multi-agency firearm retrieval initiative
Jacob stated police seized approximately 680 illegal firearms in 2021. More than 50 of them were high-powered weapons, the top cop said.
He said, “For this year, we have since seized approximately 142 firearms so far. The programme has been tested a bit during the early parts of the year, working together with agencies before its launch.”
Jacob said 24 out of the 142 firearms seized were high-powered weapons and this demonstrated the extent of the situation.
He said, “We have a serious issue where these type of firearms is causing murders and a lot of serious injuries to our citizens.
“So it is necessary that all agencies come and work together to deal with this particular initiative.”
Jacob added that the initiative would be both operational and intelligence-driven.
He said during the year so far, there were several meetings with international partners inclusive of the ATF of the United States and others, in addition to the
Caricom Impact which was the Law Enforcement Agencies for the Caribbean.
Jacob said, “The TTPS for the year have arrested 226 persons and charged for grievous firearm offences including shooting and wounding and possession of firearms and ammunition.”
He added that surge in illegal firearm use continued hence the need for the Multi-Agency Firearm Retrieval Initiative.
