GUEVARRO SAYS HE CALL FOR SoE AGAIN IF HE HAD TO

CCNTV6

The Police Commissioner is standing by his decision to recommend to the Government to implement the State of Emergency as he marks his first 100 days in office.  And he provided statistics to back up his decision...as the State is facing legal action regarding certain aspects of the S-o-E.  Juhel Browne reports.

Transcript

00:00In a TTPS video narrated by Police Commissioner Alistair Guevaro marking his first 100 days in office,

00:07the top cop is not expressing any regrets about the ongoing state of emergency in Trinidad and Tobago,

00:13which does not include a curfew or any limitation on public gatherings.

00:18I still stand by that recommendation.

00:21And if given the opportunity to do it over again, I will not change a single thing.

00:27The SOE enabled preemptive intelligence-led disruption that saved lives and fractured gang command and control.

00:35Commissioner Guevaro's appointment as the new top cop took effect in June of this year.

00:39Then on the 17th of July, I received critical intelligence of an imminent plot against law enforcement,

00:48which was hatched by incarcerated gang leaders who had amalgamated themselves into a criminal syndicate

00:55and who were using various methods of communication to carry out acts of criminality,

01:01which included kidnapping, homicides, robberies, larceny of motor vehicles, and even extortion to fund their criminal enterprise.

01:10The police commissioner then recalled the advice he gave to the National Security Council, which is chaired by the prime minister.

01:16I immediately informed the National Security Council and recommended that a state of emergency be implemented

01:22to prevent those men from carrying out their intent.

01:26It was the first of many sleepless nights since taking office.

01:31And having been successful in convincing the government, I had to marshal my troops and execute a multi-agency objective,

01:39which included the urgent relocation of high-risk inmates, initiating precision intelligence operations,

01:47and moving towards protecting communities before plans could be realized.

01:52The state is facing legal action against the detention of those who were removed from the maximum security prison

01:59to temporary detention centers at two of the nation's military bases.

02:04In hindsight, and examining this SOE, the TTPS has recorded 612 charges across all divisions.

02:13436 serious crimes, including 8 murders, 35 kidnappings, 62 robberies, 180 firearms, and ammunition offenses.

02:24Arrests have thus far totaled 406 and counting, with 256 for serious crimes, 83 for minor offenses, and 67 for minor crimes.

02:36Over 150 firearms have thus far been recovered.

02:40The initial 30-day extension of the state of emergency approved by the House of Representatives

02:46via the government's majority is due to end on October 28th.

02:51Jewel Brown, TV6 News.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended