00:00With the murder count now over 400, regional strategic security consultant and former head
00:06of the National Operations Center, Commander Garvin Hira says, more work needs to be done
00:12to tackle rising crime in this country.
00:15According to Hira, the increased manpower in the TTPS is a step in the right direction.
00:20But it's not only about manpower, it's about working smart.
00:25He says having a crisis communication plan is an integral part of policing.
00:30At one time with the National Operations Center, there was a media management system that was
00:35set up and I'm seeing some of the facets, some of the architecture, some of the things
00:41that worked well with the National Operations Center should be looked at now and be applied
00:48into this national approach to policing that once worked.
00:52Commander Hira says the criminals are sending a message to the police service.
00:56There is now a sort of we are in charge.
01:00Basically, that's what the citizen is seeing.
01:02The citizen is seeing the criminal telling national security, telling the police service,
01:06telling the defense force, we are in charge.
01:08It's alleged that they have corrupt police officers, they have corrupt members of the
01:13armed forces who are involved in gangs, who are being used in gangs at this point.
01:17That's a new thing that is starting to surface and the teams are seeing it.
01:21I'm hoping that the police service is seeing it where they have the involvement now of
01:24national security personnel with the gangs that they have infiltrated.
01:29That's a strong word to say, but it's there.
01:31So I'm hoping that the intelligence tentacles are also seeing that and recognizing there's
01:36an infiltration of this whole gang thing.
01:38And on the issue of the latest form of criminality, which is extortion, Hira believes that there
01:43should be a special unit in charge of extortion in the TTPS.
01:47It needs a certain type of approach tactically in order to bring a close and send a message
01:53and investigation, because there's a certain type of investigation, maximizing technologies
01:57and all of that stuff that comes together as a special team.
02:02We need to consider the forming up of an anti-extortion team or anti-extortion unit with specially
02:08trained officers.
02:09And there's a skill set outside there who can treat with this thing.
02:13He says the increasing crime in Tobago is troubling and preventive measures are needed
02:18as the situation can damage Tobago's tourism sector.
02:21He is asking where are the appropriate security checks at the Scarborough Port?
02:26Needs to be a border control management focus for Tobago, probably establishing a Tobago
02:33Coastal Surveillance Radar Center itself for Tobago, maximizing what exists in Trinidad,
02:39but utilizing it as a big brother to a system in Tobago that can hold the borders down and
02:44there should be a capability of response.
02:46Sharla Kesto, TV6 News.
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