00:00Criminologist Dr. Randy Seepersad tells the Morning Edition that expanding police posts
00:06across communities should not be dismissed as outdated policing, arguing that a stronger
00:12police presence can still play a meaningful role in deterring crime and reassuring citizens.
00:18The geographic areas that they are going to be much more visible in ideally would widen.
00:25So it disperses the way that the police are placed geographically in the country, and
00:30if it's done in this way, that the visibility increases not just directly around the specific
00:37police posts, but widely within the areas where the posts are located, then you're going to
00:43actually have that deterrent effect that I'm speaking about.
00:47On government's proposal to deploy convicted inmates in public cleanup programs, Dr. Seepersad
00:53says he is not opposed to the initiative, but cautions that appropriate safeguards, supervision
01:00and rehabilitation measures must be put in place to ensure its success.
01:06So if you bring prisoners out into the public, what I would expect of course is due screening,
01:14proper dangerousness and risk assessments, all of that proper training of prison officers,
01:19and I dare say support by police officers if necessary, you know, to supervise prisoners
01:26while they're out there in the environment.
01:28He also weighs in on plans requiring citizens over the age of 16 to carry identification in
01:34public, saying, the proposal presents both potential benefits and legitimate concerns, and should
01:41be carefully assessed once further details are released.
01:45So there are concerns that, you know, for me at least, that this is something that will
01:51necessarily result in any kind of crime reduction at all, and more than likely it will not,
01:56you know, because persons who are involved in crime would either not carry their ID or certainly
02:03would avoid the police, you know, in circumstances where you see them at a checkpoint, etc.
02:07So that particular one may be a bit of a hit or miss.
02:12Nicole M. Romany, TV6 News.
Comments