00:00These new RAV4s, sourced directly from Toyota, are among a fleet of 67, 52 marked and 15 unmarked that the police service now has as part of its crime-fighting arsenal.
00:16Acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin says after consultations with officers, it was the preferred choice among a range of other brands within the TTPS.
00:25I was told it was just under $23 million that it cost and based on that we would have engaged the Toyota company to ensure that they gave us the vehicles that we needed.
00:40The top cop expects that it's an investment that would serve the people well.
00:44With the deployment of these vehicles, we hope to improve, one, the emergency response efficiency of the Trinan-Tobago Police Service.
00:57We want to increase as well the patrol coverage, especially in underserved areas.
01:04We want to enhance officers' safety and operational capabilities and also we want to ensure that we build greater confidence among the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
01:18Let it be clear, these vehicles will not sit idly by.
01:23At least three vehicles are expected to be distributed to each of the policing divisions in Trinidad and Tobago.
01:29Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, who inspected the fleet alongside Benjamin, says the aim is to have these vehicles on the nation's roads forthwith.
01:38But he makes a call to citizens and police officers alike.
01:42Your role and function now is to assist law enforcement in any way you can.
01:48Law enforcement officers, patrol enforcement is important.
01:52You can drive all day, all night, without enforcement, you are just another vehicle on the road.
02:01And we don't want that.
02:02We want law enforcement officers to enforce the law at all times.
02:07While Vemgot is the entity usually servicing the TTPS's fleet,
02:12the maintenance of this new fleet is being undertaken by Toyota,
02:16along with other vehicles recently purchased from the company.
02:19Benjamin promises a proper inventory to prevent the vehicles from falling into dereliction.
02:25TV6 News asks if Toyota will continue to service the vehicles after the warranty period comes to an end.
02:31We have a financial limit that we tend to agree with Toyota to deal with all the vehicles
02:37because we want to ensure that the vehicles give long life.
02:40So therefore we want to stick as much as possible with the contractor as much as possible.
02:46So we will be working with them and we will see again after the warranty,
02:52we will then see if there is a need for a contract.
02:54And once we can do that, we will see how it goes.
02:59According to Commissioner Benjamin, the procurements for the fleet took place in 2024.
03:04Meanwhile, Alexander says the government is reviewing the operations of Vemgot.
03:09And the minister was given the mandate by the prime minister to look into it,
03:15the time frame of how it could be treated, how we could get the best service out of Vemgot at the time.
03:21So that is in the making really.
03:23It is left to the minister in terms of how and how soon he could get the information back to the prime minister
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