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00:00This program is unsuitable for young children.
00:30Beyond the Tape will be back after these messages.
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01:34With any of these warning signs, you should definitely seek medical attention as soon
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01:39The first sign would be if the child has a seizure.
01:44The child appears very confused, or is acting very strangely, or is lethargic and unresponsive,
01:51please seek medical attention.
01:53The other signs are if the child has rapid shallow breathing, or is unable to maintain
01:59their hydration, so they are refusing liquids, or they're having less than 50% of their normal
02:05urine output.
02:06Thank you for joining me.
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02:21Good evening Trinidad and Tobago and every viewers across the worldwide, but of course
02:40internationally.
02:41I'm Mark Besant, the host of Beyond the Tape and we have a very special guest today with
02:47us, Acting Superintendent Michelle Rowdy-Powder, head of the Special Victims Unit Housing Booth,
02:54the Child Protection Unit and Gender-Based Violence Unit.
02:58Welcome Superintendent, it's really a pleasure to have you here.
03:03We've had a pretty hectic couple of weeks.
03:07We've had a lot of domestic violence cases that have ended in fatalities, and of course
03:14we have that issue of the CPU's work, of course you will deal with interventions in situations
03:21considering children and of course bullying, and that is one of the major topics that has
03:28been in the media over the last couple of weeks.
03:33I just wanted to kind of walk us through some of the things that your unit is involved in
03:37now and bring us up to speed in terms of some of the things that have happened over the
03:42last couple of weeks, if you can.
03:45So, good evening and good evening to Traylor and to Bego, thanks for having me.
03:52Well, the Special Victims Department, as you explained, the Child Protection Unit is under
03:58the purview, alright, and within the last few weeks, based on what we are seeing in
04:08the media, in social media, we have our latest initiative has been our School Intervention
04:15Unit.
04:17That was launched on the 7th of October, and that came as a result of our discussions and
04:25our plan of having to make some immediate changes and take immediate action to what's
04:31happening in society with our youths.
04:36Our School Intervention Unit consists of some members from the Special Victims Department
04:42who are police officers.
04:43We also have members of the Victim and Witness Support Unit, and we have a child psychologist
04:51on board who has offered her services.
04:55Good evening, Ms. Lewis.
04:58One of the pillars of our School Intervention Team is to encourage reporting.
05:07Let it be known that the police can only act if we have the information, and one thing
05:15I would like to thank the public of Traylor and to Bego for is those little videos, which
05:21you think are not much, but that goes a long way.
05:26Those little videos you take, those little snippets you take, you know, sometimes you
05:30take a little phone and you just record what's happening and you send it out.
05:35Believe me, when they reach us, we know what to do.
05:37We know how to act.
05:39So thank you very much for those little videos, and we will act when we have it.
05:47You can call anonymously.
05:49We don't need to know who you are, where you're calling from.
05:52We just need the information so that we can act on it and take charge of what is happening.
05:58What has been the response like in terms of the number of reports that you will have gotten,
06:06or volume of reports, since you launched your program pretty recently, October 7th, you
06:11said, and do you all have the capacity to deal with some of the things that are coming
06:18very quickly at you?
06:21Very soon, I think we will have to add some numbers to the unit.
06:28So far, we have responded to that situation in Karapu, where what we saw was that snippet
06:39of a teacher being tied up and some bit of bullying.
06:43So we were able to respond, and we were able to start some counseling, because one of our
06:52pillars is really to support victims.
06:55So that's why we have the victim and witness support on board, to provide whatever counseling.
07:00There are some members of staff that may require counseling after an incident has occurred,
07:06because they may suffer some type of trauma based on what incident took place in the school.
07:13Counseling is also available to some of the students.
07:19We are focusing mainly on that bullying, that act of bullying that is so loud in the public
07:27domain right now, and a lot of our efforts will be channeled towards counteracting that
07:35bullying attitude, that bullying behavior that some of our children tend to display.
07:42Well, Sifni, I know that your hands are obviously very full at this point in time, and I know
07:49that, unfortunately, we had an incident that would have triggered a firestorm of controversy.
07:56Of course, you know, young Jidan Lalchand died by suicide a couple of weeks ago, and
08:03you know, it was really sad, of course, and then you had a story being told, or a narrative
08:08being told, that had been happening for many years.
08:14What suggestions do you have for parents that are faced with a situation like that, where
08:21their child is perhaps a victim of bullying in schools?
08:26Parents, you need to listen to your child.
08:29Sometimes the child will try to engage us.
08:34We don't know what's happening.
08:35They know what's happening, and we need to listen and get in the habit of reporting what's
08:40happening.
08:41As a society, we need to get involved.
08:44We need to look out for each other.
08:46Sometimes, that child might even be a bit scared to speak up, but somebody might know
08:50what's happening.
08:53Let the authorities know, let a teacher know, let a principal know, let someone know.
08:59There are also cases where children are very afraid to even speak to their parents of what
09:06happened or is happening in the school if they are a victim of bullying, but I guess
09:12that constant communication and asking them if something happened at the school on every
09:18given day should go a long way in making sure that that child, because you know, the fear
09:23that is associated with being bullied, bullying, sorry, and we have an incident that happened
09:28a couple of weeks ago, and that child, of course, we will talk about that more, is afraid
09:34to go back to school, you know.
09:38What's your advice to parents on that if they have a child that doesn't really talk about
09:43anything or afraid to talk about something like that when it's happening to them at school?
09:49Yes, I understand.
09:51We recommend counseling in situations like that, but we need to break down that gap between
09:58parents and children.
09:59We need, just as you were saying before, parents get interactive with what's happening on a
10:05daily basis, discuss with them, how was your day, you know, get that bonding, that bit
10:11of bonding going on, because they may very well be going through a situation and you're
10:17far from knowing what's happening.
10:19Most definitely, and I know that discussion, of course, of bullying, there's also on the
10:26flip side, you have a lot of unfortunate cases of domestic violence that ended in murder
10:33of at least three women over the last three to four weeks.
10:38You know, unfortunately, we had an incident with Tara, a one-year-old child being killed
10:43and the suspect was charged with that, and as well as Laura Sanka in New Grand, who was
10:49dropped to death and apparently her husband was charged with that.
10:54And then you had Sunita Mohammed in between that, who was also pushed and fell and hit
10:59her head in a male prison as well, so I understand, before the courts, but just in a nutshell,
11:07what would you tell the women who are subjected to this kind of violent attacks by their spouses
11:13or, you know, boyfriends, et cetera, because it is happening sometimes silently where women
11:21are afraid to speak up for the same thing as you talk about, being fearful.
11:26Okay, so there are what we call red flags, and sometimes as women, we look for the red
11:34flags.
11:35You may have a partner and some of the common signs are stalking.
11:41Another common sign is threats.
11:44We have verbal abuse, controlling behavior.
11:49These are all signs, and when you observe this, should I say run, R-U-N, these are signs
12:00that tell you that later on, something worse could happen, and sometimes as women, we have
12:06to look for red flags and find a way out.
12:10Definitely.
12:11Well, we're going to continue the discussion, but we're going to take a look now at our
12:16headlines.
13:17Sydney, those are some of the headlines today in the Trinidad Express newspaper, and we
13:32want to show you a very disturbing video that emanated on social media, I believe it was
13:38yesterday, and I'm sure Acting Superintendent Ms. Raul Powder would obviously have something
13:45to say, and of course, I am almost hopeful and hopeful that the police is going to be
13:51looking into this matter.
13:52So let's take a look at that video.
13:53We'll play it because we didn't want to show the child's face, right?
14:19You saw the original, right?
15:50It appears that the father is disciplining the child, of course, but isn't that a little
16:00bit extreme?
16:01Yeah, the act speaks to a moderate correction of a child.
16:06What does the Child Protection Unit do in a situation like this?
16:09Because for people who would have seen the video without the blurring, of course, it's
16:14a very, probably the child is between the ages of three and four, and he's pulling the
16:21child and whipping the child, of course, you said with a phone charger cord, I mean, very,
16:27very abusive and very, you know, using abusive language and being very violent towards the
16:34child.
16:35So, child abuse is defined as any act that can threaten or cause harm to a child.
16:44Whether it be physical, emotional, sexual, and there we actually see a situation of physical
16:51abuse.
16:53Section four of the Children's Act speaks to cruelty of a child.
17:01Now, I can speak for this matter.
17:05It has engaged our attention more earlier than today.
17:10More officers in the Southwestern Division have already begun an investigation, statements
17:15were recorded, and the matter is being investigated.
17:22There were discussions, and a file should be ready in the matter of the next few days,
17:26so I would not divulge much more about the incident, but it has engaged our attention
17:30and an investigation has started.
17:32Well, we're certainly happy to hear that, and we're hopeful that there is a positive
17:36outcome to this, of course, and that person will be, of course, you know, charged as
17:43need be once the information and statements are taken from the relevant person.
17:49So, we're going to take a short break, and we'll be back.
17:51Stay with us.
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19:40Welcome back to Beyond the Tape, I'm your host Marc Boussard, of course, joined today
19:55by Superintendent Michelle Rowley-Powder, head of the Special Victims Unit, and we were
20:00having a conversation, of course, about not just bullying in schools and the intervention
20:05that the team is trying to make in some of these matters, but also domestic violence,
20:12which is also equally important when we're dealing with, you know, cases where women
20:17have been attacked, and in some cases, over the last few weeks, killed.
20:22So we want to take a look at some footage, not related, of course, to what we were just
20:26talking about, involving, I believe it's a defense force soldier, yesterday's at a
20:32bind point 40.
20:36So the understanding is that a gunman apparently ran into the establishment here, and it is
20:44alleged that a soldier attached to the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force was injured during
20:52that attack there, and of course, I'm stating that anyone with information related to this
20:59shooting obviously can contact the nearest police station, or officers of the Point 40
21:05police station, or the Southwestern Division, the charge room in Siparia as well, if need
21:11be.
21:12So certainly this has become a norm, you know, people in public spaces as well are at risk.
21:19We don't know the actual motive for it, but I know it's something that the police will
21:24be looking into.
21:25Yes, we will.
21:26Definitely.
21:27We do have another clip, I believe, something that just happened, a couple within the last
21:38hour in Degomating near the Majuba crossroads, and what my initial information is that there
21:45was some kind of shootout, there's a vehicle there that overturned.
21:48Police is still on the scene, I understand, as somebody sent it to us very short while
21:53ago.
21:54We don't have a lot of information, but we understand there was some kind of shooting
21:58incident in which, of course, this vehicle may have been involved in that overturned,
22:04and officers are still out on that particular scene.
22:08So there's not much else I can tell you at this juncture, but we're stating that there
22:12was some kind of incident there.
22:16So we want to shift our conversation back to the issue of bullying, especially in the
22:23schools, and I'm not saying that doesn't happen at good places and so on, but we also have
22:27another video of an attack by young men just in school uniforms attacking, I believe, one
22:36of their own peers, who was not in school uniform, he's seen sitting on a bench, and
22:45he's approached by another uniformed student who kicks him, pushes him to the ground, kicks
22:57him to the ground, and he walks away, as you see, I mean, this is, I don't know if you
23:04all have any knowledge of where this might have occurred, anything you can tell us?
23:12Not at the moment, an investigation has started, we are still trying to engage the cyber as
23:17to find out the origin of the video itself, so that we can have something to work with.
23:22So we're still trying to ascertain the origin, I guess, and the location of that video.
23:27Now we did have, yesterday, I don't know if my producer has that video, involving the
23:34attack in Faizabad, yes we do, right here on your screens, a student putting on a ski,
23:42what appears to be a ski mask, this happened, I believe, on September 27th, if memory serves
23:48me right, and he later attacks another student who was coming to the frame in a short while,
23:57and he's walking here, and he's attacked from behind. Now I know that yesterday when we spoke
24:03with Acting Inspector Pitt, obviously the mother was saying to the media a couple days ago that
24:09she has not had any action by the police or the Ministry of Education, and her child remains
24:16at home, it's been three weeks, seems he has head and neck injuries, but I do believe that you have
24:23an update for us on this particular matter. Okay, yes, so that incident at Faizabad Secondary,
24:29my school intervention team and I, we visited the school on Wednesday, this Wednesday, we
24:37communicated with staff, and the file has, as early as today, as we sent as today, I've received a
24:48file in the matter. The perpetrator in that matter has been suspended this Monday, so that
25:00suspension will expire this Friday, after which he will be referred to school services. We are
25:11continuing investigations into that matter, and we have scheduled some counseling on the 23rd,
25:20which is next Wednesday. The school intervention team will be visiting the Faizabad school, where
25:25we intend to engage the pupils from Form 3, because those students were Form 3 students.
25:31So the form we have prepared, we have prepared some counseling for that group, that Form 3 group,
25:42and along with us, as I've told you before, will be our victim and witness support officer,
25:49and our child psychologist will also be there accompanying us while we provide counseling. So
25:57while the investigation is ongoing, we'll be taking care of the staff in that way, and the students.
26:04That's very hopeful news, in reference to that particular incident. And of course, I don't know
26:12what might have provoked or triggered that attack. I don't know if you, I don't want you to go into
26:19any details, but from just a general sense of what might have caused that. We are seeing peer pressure.
26:25When we haven't interviewed school officials so far, and what the information that has come to
26:34hand, when we have considered it, we realized there's a bit of peer pressure involved in it.
26:39So part of our counseling session, or part of our lectures, will include peer pressure and how it
26:47affects the child, and ways of treating and dealing with peer pressure.
26:56Is this something you've seen a lot, not just in this particular school, but in other schools that you all have visited so far?
27:04And what other types of, you know, things you have seen in terms of, that triggers attacks by bullies in these schools?
27:13All right, so... Apart from peer pressure, nothing else?
27:18Some children are dealing with issues at home. Sometimes when we see a child acting out in school,
27:27many times when you visit the home, you understand why. Different factors
27:34affect children's behavior. And our child psychologist, who is on board with us, keeps
27:41admonishing this from time to time, each time we interact.
27:45So there'll be different contributing factors to children's behavior.
27:49As you said, certainly, you know, looking at where a child lives, you're bringing, of course,
27:55the parents, and how they speak to their children, of course, all these things
28:00will matter because it weighs heavily on their mental and emotional state. When they go to school,
28:06if certain things happen at home, it might be directly at them, it might be things that are
28:11happening indirectly in the home that might trigger this, yes? Yes, and might affect them in some way,
28:17and they act out. We are hopeful that your team, obviously, in the coming weeks, will be able to
28:27put a handle on some of these things, and of course, find relevant solutions, and to get help
28:34to some of these children who have been bullied, and continue to suffer, and are really, you know,
28:41mentally and emotionally, you know? Any advice, just before we go to the break, for the students
28:48that have been victims of being bullied? Report bullying. Report bullying. It is the only way
28:57you can get help. It is the only way authorities can act. We need the information.
29:03Find a way, report it to someone, and you do not have to be a victim to make a report.
29:10If you know of something happening, you know of bullying taking place,
29:14make it your duty to report it. We encourage reporting. That is one of our pillars
29:19of the school intervention team. I certainly hope that the youngsters out there listening
29:26to this program, and she has given us some very good advice. If something is happening, if you
29:31are not even a direct victim, it is your friend, or a friend of a friend, do not take out your
29:36phone and film this incident happening. Even you can be part of that, of being charged because, or
29:43being liable, because you are in some way egging it on. So, we want to encourage you all, report it
29:52to your teacher, or to your parents, or to somebody, an authority that can do something,
29:59and make a difference. We are going to take a break, and we will be back. Stay with us.
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32:00Welcome back to Beyond the Tape. It's Friday. I'm your host Mark Bassant. Of course,
32:14joined today by Acting Superintendent Michelle Raui-Powder from the Head of the Special Victims
32:21Unit dealing with a whole lot of things, of course, child protection unit, domestic violence,
32:28and so on. I just want to encourage our viewers to don't forget to call in at 623-1711 extensions
32:371992, 1993, 1996, and 1997. I'm sure Acting Superintendent Raui-Powder will be eager to
32:47answer your questions. And we want to remind you, of course, we have that outstanding matter
32:55involving Mr. Subish Ramnarain, who was kidnapped from a bar on last Saturday by men
33:07wearing what appeared to be tactical uniforms and taking him, I don't think, the police is
33:14working assiduously, of course, to locate Mr. Ramnarain and we want to implore and urge those
33:21that are responsible for taking him, of course, to return him safely back to his family. And we
33:26are only, we are really hopeful that this will end well and we're optimistic that he'll be
33:33reunited with his family soon. So let's talk about a very serious matter, domestic violence. In the
33:42last three weeks, we've had, unfortunately, at least three women being killed due to domestic
33:50violence. We had the incident involving Tara Ramsour and her one-year-old daughter, Chida.
33:57They were apparently killed in Barakpo. The home of the suspect was later charged, I understand.
34:05Then we also had an incident involving Sunita Mohammed in Gasparillo. She was pushed to the
34:12floor and she apparently hit her head and she died later at the San Fernando General Hospital.
34:18And the victim, the suspect, sorry, was later held for that. And then we had, unfortunately,
34:23a third incident last Saturday involving Laura Sankar, who was attacked and killed at her home
34:31in New Grant and was later, I believe her husband, was later charged for that incident and appeared
34:38earlier this week in court. What are the telltale signs for women to see, or even men, that is? We
34:47don't want to stereotype just to say women. In every case, to try to get some kind of assistance
34:55and reach out to you all. Okay. Domestic violence is real. And statistics show that 97% of the
35:07victims of domestic violence are females. So yes, men are also victims, but it's in the minority.
35:15It's just a 3%. I remember yesterday we were at the mall giving out some flyers and trying to
35:27sensitize people on domestic violence and how, as a society, we should treat or we should act
35:37regarding this scourge of domestic violence. And what we encourage is you do not have to
35:44be a victim of domestic violence to make a report. Make a report on behalf of a friend.
35:50Make a report on behalf of a neighbor. Make a report on behalf of a relative.
35:56Many times when the report reaches to the police, it's because that victim would have suffered for
36:02probably months. In some instances, years, those victims have suffered. And there are some
36:10approaches to scourges. And I believe we have reached a point in Traylor and Tobago where we
36:21need to adapt an all-society approach. Get involved in what's happening. Do not ignore
36:29those noises you are hearing next door. Sometimes what we realize during an investigation is
36:37some people know what's happening. Sometimes the neighbors know. Sometimes relatives know.
36:43And we are wondering why we take so long. Why was that woman allowed to suffer for so long
36:50when we as a society could have made a difference? And I would like to urge members of the public,
36:57we don't need to know who you are. We just need to know that something is happening at number 10
37:02John Street. That is all we need to do. We would verify the information and we would follow up.
37:07But as a society, it's about time we get all hands on deck and assist each other.
37:12Be each other's keeper. Agreed, agreed. We have our first caller. Caller, good evening.
37:21Good evening, caller.
37:23This is about the recall of the camouflage uniform from certain officers.
37:31I would like to comment by saying, before the advent of camouflage uniforms in Kenya to the police service,
37:40criminals have been using police uniforms to commit theft. I personally think that this decision
37:49I personally think that this decision to streamline the use of camouflage to four units is a laughable one.
38:02It's inconceivable. It is not well thought out. And I'll tell you why I say this.
38:09Now, these four units that can use the camouflage, they are not as active in rough policing as the task forces in the divisions.
38:25You cannot send these task force officers, they go into the bush to cut weed and do all sorts of things.
38:31You cannot send them in situations like that with green and blue and old slippery boots.
38:38It is not safe for the officers. I am saying that, yes, people in the charge room and on the air should not wear these.
38:46But the task force officers should be included in the persons who are permitted to use the camouflage uniform.
38:59The problem is that the police service are not doing proper checks and balances or accountability for the uniform.
39:09And you see, that is the problem. If they have proper checks and balances, where the people can account for the uniform,
39:17this is an impulsive decision as far as I'm concerned. And I'm very upset about it because I've been a member of Trinidad's Railway Police Service for 40 years.
39:28I think that this decision needs to be retained. If this is a decision from all the senior officers, I'm sorry for my police service, it is not well thought out.
39:43Not well thought out. Let them go back to the table and think about this decision.
39:48Because the task forces are the active people. JD, ITS are supporting units with task forces in the divisions.
40:05So I am saying, this is a poor decision and it needs to be retained. Thank you very much.
40:18Thank you for those reserved comments. But I can tell you that today, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, Social and Welfare Association issued a release
40:29outlining some of your concerns and suggesting, and I did bring this up in the program yesterday with our Acting Inspector Pitt,
40:37talking about the task force, the divisional task force in each division should also be allowed to wear that tactical uniform.
40:46And quite interestingly, today, while endorsing the call by the Commissioner to pull back a number of these tactical uniforms from normal officers,
41:00the Inspector Dixon said that they were hopeful that the divisional task force will also be allowed to wear tactical uniforms.
41:13So certainly, it's food for thought and I imagine they might have to rethink it. We will just have to wait and see.
41:19Of course, it was a recommendation made by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, Social and Welfare Association.
41:26And I know Minister in the Ministry of National Security, Keith Scotland, today spoke with us and he said that,
41:34well, I remember it's an operational decision taken by the Commissioner. It's a decision taken to arrest a certain concern by the public.
41:42And what you're seeing is a quick response by the police and a more decisive response.
41:47And that is what we are about. That is what we are about. And that is what we are.
41:51And we will continue to do such. And on that note, we'll take a break and we'll be back. Stay with us.
42:21Whatever you're here for, we're here for you. Stay smart at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites.
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44:09Welcome back to Beyond the Tape. I'm your host Mark Osam, joined by Acting Superintendent Michelle Romi-Powder from Head of the Special Victims Unit.
44:18Her first time, but she's doing well so far. I'm sure you all will agree with me.
44:22I do believe we have a caller on the line. Caller, good evening.
44:26Hi, good evening. Good evening to you, the host, and also the guest.
44:30I really just have two simple questions. I didn't get to see the show from the start. Could you advise me on the title of the guest?
44:39Yes, her name is Acting Superintendent Michelle Romi-Powder, and she's the Head of the Special Victims Unit.
44:46So they deal with child protection and domestic violence issues and so on.
44:51Okay, great, great. I'm pleased to hear that. I just thought that this question today is from their question.
44:58I'm going to ask the other guests on the show. In connection to your uniqueness and just in your general knowledge of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service organization,
45:15do you believe, to the absolute best of your knowledge, that officers have been and continue to do the best that they can do?
45:24They really give their genuine best efforts to solve the crime situation in the country.
45:29That's my main question. I'll let them all answer.
45:34Okay, the short answer to that is yes.
45:39And let me use this opportunity to personally commend my team at the Special Victims Department for their contribution to our crime fighting initiative.
45:52Now, there have been reports in the media, negative and positive, and I speak for the majority of the TTPS when I say most of us work hard.
46:04Most of us do our jobs. There's a minority who engage in negative activity, and I make no excuses for them.
46:14But generally speaking, I've been a police officer for a number of years. I've been a detective for most of that time.
46:22I've been a detective constable, detective corporal, detective sergeant.
46:26I've been headed to CIDs as inspector of crime, and I know what it means to work and really work hard.
46:34And I have been exposed to some seniors who gave their best and they taught us policing.
46:39Some of us take this job to heart.
46:42And the majority of us, we have mortgages, we have children, and we have to do what is right because we need our job.
46:49So I speak for the majority of TTPS when I say most of my officers, especially the ones I supervise,
46:55I mean, recently we have had some reports, and our reports, the reports come via social media.
47:01And sometimes at night, up to last night, my senior sup, Miss Guy-Allen, she was there with me.
47:09Are you satisfied with that response your officers gave? All right, let them do this tomorrow morning, that.
47:13I say, yes, ma'am, we are trying, and we'll get this matter completed, and that is how we are going.
47:18We don't have days off.
47:20On weekends, they call us, and especially as a supervisor, they call us out.
47:25Sometimes we have to call our officers and say, listen, this matter is engaging the public attention.
47:30I need more work. I will give you back a day off. Come out and let's run.
47:34And our officers will run. They really run.
47:37So I'd like to say hats off to the hardworking officers that have been trying to be a good police service.
47:43Well, I certainly hope that has answered your question in its entirety.
47:48We do have another call on the line.
47:50Caller, good evening.
47:54It seems that the caller left.
47:57But getting back to that, I know that it can be a rather demanding job,
48:03and much more so for the citizenry who ask more than 100 percent at times.
48:11And it's always difficult because there's a lot of negativity.
48:15As you said, right now with the police service and so on, and you all are trying to rid,
48:20because there are hardworking officers out there that are trying their best.
48:25I mean, one person can't do it, right?
48:27So you have to have a collective effort, and don't blame the few rogue elements
48:32for most of them who want to do the right thing.
48:35Yeah, and the rogue elements, I assure you, they are in the minority.
48:40Most definitely.
48:42So we were talking about domestic violence,
48:44and I know you have some figures you would like to share with us.
48:48I know there's been a lot of talk about ups and downs in terms of statistics,
48:53and we talked about a lot of things in the media,
48:56but I know you have some information as it relates to domestic violence statistics
49:00over the last couple of years.
49:02Okay, well, I would like to compare.
49:05We call it the comparative period, all right?
49:09And comparing last year's figures to this year's figures around the same time,
49:14the comparative period, we have seen a definite decline, all right?
49:19We have had a decline in the number of reports.
49:22What's the numbers like?
49:23Our numbers last year to this time were 2,477 reports.
49:28This year we are seeing 2,083 reports.
49:31And we, despite the fact that we have seen a decrease
49:36and we may want to celebrate the, how we call it, the success,
49:46as I was telling my team yesterday,
49:48we are waiting to see the curve flatten before we can really celebrate.
49:53When there is public fear of crime has been decreased, then we will celebrate.
49:59We intend to continue sensitization.
50:01We intend to continue working.
50:03This month is actually domestic violence month.
50:07So yesterday we were all in purple trying to sensitize members of the public
50:11that we stand in solidarity with the rest of the world
50:14in stamping out domestic violence, all right?
50:17And we really want to see that curve flatten.
50:22I certainly hope so, too.
50:24Do you have a caller on the line?
50:25Caller, good evening.
50:27Good evening.
50:29Good evening to the officer.
50:31Just a quick question.
50:33As you know, it's been significantly raised in the public recently.
50:37It's your bullying.
50:38It's your crimes against women and children, et cetera, et cetera.
50:42And a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to experience
50:46my daughter being assaulted by a student in a private school.
50:50She was in private school, standardized, and not a standardized boy.
50:55He assaulted her by slapping her on the face.
50:58Now, we reported this matter to the police,
51:01and one of the things that the officer said to me when we told him
51:04that we were not going to stand by and let this continue,
51:07the officer said to me, his comment to us,
51:10what do you want?
51:11Do you want us to charge a 10-year-old?
51:14Does he accept?
51:15Do you want to put him in jail?
51:17And nothing eventually came out of it.
51:19So the question I have for the officer is this.
51:22What is the police's standard of protocols for dealing with children
51:29who show violence or commit violence in the school environment
51:38or in the general environment?
51:39And mind you, I want to just add this.
51:41A few years after, this same boy, his mother was unaddressed.
51:44He was eventually expelled from a secondary school
51:47because he physically assaulted another female student,
51:52of course, in the high school environment.
51:56So I want to know, what is the police's standard of protocols
51:59for dealing with a minor who exhibits that type of violent behavior?
52:07All right. I just want you to cool your throat.
52:09We're going to take a short break.
52:10I'm going to be back.
52:18Chuguanas in the East-West Corridor.
52:20The Suarez Brothers Circus proudly presents
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52:30from Friday, 18th to Sunday, 27th October,
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52:39Disney's Magic Show pays tribute to all the characters
52:41from your favorite movies, The Little Mermaid,
52:44Disney Story, The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen,
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52:49Tickets on sale at extra food supermarkets,
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52:56online at islandetickets.com,
52:58and at the Circus box office from 10 a.m. daily.
53:01Showtimes, Monday to Friday, 7 p.m. daily,
53:04Saturday, 2, 5, and 8 p.m., Sunday, 2 and 5 p.m.
53:08Don't miss Disney's Magic Show,
53:10together with the best of the circus attractions.
53:12This is our final stop before leaving for Jamaica.
53:15No holdovers, from Friday, 18th to Sunday, 27th October,
53:1910 days only, next to the Fab India Expo Shibuanas.
53:23No Talk, No Live!
53:25Comedy with heart.
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53:28October 18th, 19th, and 20th.
53:30True Talk, No Live!
53:31Where comedy meets reality.
53:33Written by Penelope Spencer,
53:34and directed by Deborah Buku-Mason.
53:36Tickets available at extra food stores,
53:38K-Squared Fashions, West Mall,
53:39Apotheek, and Gulf City Mall,
53:40and Central Bank Box Office,
53:41from the 16th of October.
53:42Part proceeds go to Autism Societies in TNT.
53:45True Talk, No Live!
53:47Don't miss it!
53:48The choice is clear.
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54:34Welcome back to Beyond the Tape,
54:35I'm your host Marc Besson,
54:37and of course joined today by
54:38Acting Superintendent Michelle Rowley-Powder,
54:42Head of the Special Victims Unit,
54:44and a caller did ask before the break
54:47about, you know, a child who constantly
54:50is involved in bullying and so on,
54:52and what action can be taken by the police,
54:55and of course, I'm sure there's a procedure
54:57that you will have to follow,
54:59especially if it's a minor.
55:00Yes, and first of all,
55:03within the curriculum, the school curriculum now,
55:08there is what they call a matrix,
55:10that's their standard procedure of doing things,
55:14and they have their role,
55:16the police have their role,
55:18and then the children authority have their role.
55:20We each have separate roles
55:22in treating with issues involving children.
55:25If a crime has been committed,
55:26the police has a part to play.
55:28The children authority would have their role,
55:31and then the school,
55:33we have referrals where they are instructed to,
55:37if there's a suspension,
55:39they would be referred later on to school services,
55:42so they are different,
55:43and each single incident will be treated on its own merit,
55:48because sometimes there may be an incident
55:50where a serious injury was caused,
55:53and that is when the police steps in
55:56based on the degree of the injury,
55:58what actually transpired,
56:00so an investigation has to be done where we are concerned,
56:05but the other stakeholders,
56:09they have their roles also.
56:11A colleague of mine,
56:12he expressed a small ask a short while ago,
56:17when a bully does something,
56:18of course it might be serious,
56:21but they are reprimanded and so on,
56:23and action is taken via the Ministry of Education,
56:27the school and the police.
56:30Do you all go back to look to see
56:32if that person is reoffending
56:34or continuing that errant kind of behavior?
56:37Do you all monitor that in any way?
56:41Yes, we have,
56:43there is follow-up,
56:45and the community police plays a role
56:47in following up on what we call
56:50the children in need of supervision.
56:52The children authority,
56:54they also play their role,
56:56and the police also has their role.
57:01So follow-up takes place,
57:03we communicate,
57:05any report at all,
57:07we communicate,
57:08we stay in contact,
57:10we do what we have to do.
57:12All right, so you see there,
57:13she says they have to do what they need to do,
57:16and we certainly want to thank
57:17acting superintendent Michelle Rowley-Powder,
57:21her first time on television,
57:23and she was a little bit apprehensive,
57:25but she did extremely well,
57:27and we certainly again want to thank you
57:29and your team for the hard work.
57:31Remember, repeat tonight at 11.30,
57:36and we'll rerun tomorrow.
57:38The TV6 News is up next,
57:39it's Friday,
57:40have a great weekend.
57:55Put your arms up in the air.
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