00:00connect with us on facebook at ccn tv6 trinidad and tobago on x using the handle at tv6 tnt on
00:12instagram hashtag tv6 tnt and via our website www.tv6tnt.com as one opposition mp is expressing
00:24concerns about the special operations bill the prime minister says it provides for judicial
00:28oversight the bill also specifies the use of body-worn cameras by police and military
00:34personnel in closed zooms jill brown reports in a post on facebook opposition mp marvin gonzalez said
00:42fighting crime should never mean giving the state sweeping powers without strong safeguards and
00:47accountability among the opposition's concerns about the special operations bill are its provisions
00:53for closed areas movement restrictions warrantless searches in specified circumstances and expanded
01:00detention powers clause 21 of the special operations bill 2026 states a police officer or a member of
01:07the defense force shall as far as is possible having regard to available resources use a body-worn camera
01:13during the conduct of a special operation in a closed area within a policing district clause 22 says the
01:20agencies that shall have access to data recorded by a body-worn camera for the performance of their
01:27respective functions are the police service commission the police complaints authority the
01:32police complaints division the professional standards bureau and other agencies within the police service
01:37which investigate police officers the office of the director of public prosecutions and the office of
01:43the ombudsman under the bill a police officer or a member of the defense force who fails to comply with
01:49any protocol or standard operating procedure regarding the use of body-worn cameras established under that
01:55section is liable to disciplinary action clause 15 of the special operations bill allows for the
02:01purposes of the conduct of a special operation in a closed area that a police officer may search any
02:07place vehicle or person within the closed area without a warrant upon reasonable suspicion that an offense
02:14is in the course of being committed has been committed or is about to be committed clause 17 of the
02:21bill states where a special operation is being conducted in a closed area a person shall not be arrested or
02:27detained unless the head of special operations is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for
02:33suspecting that a person has committed or is in the course of committing or is about to commit an offense
02:39prime minister come up a sub-assessor to the house of representatives on wednesday that the special
02:43operations bill allows for judicial oversight clause 17 states that a person arrested or detained in a
02:50closed area shall immediately or as soon as is reasonably practicable be taken before a magistrate who
02:58shall determine whether or not there are reasonable grounds for the arrest or detention the bill further
03:05stipulates that if a magistrate is satisfied then that person shall be remanded in custody for a period
03:12not exceeding 48 hours and at the expiration of the period of 48 hours the person shall be taken before
03:20a judge of the high court the elected mps in the house of representatives and the members of the senate
03:26shall examine those provisions and other details during their debates of the special operations bill
03:32julie brown tv6 news questions are being raised about whether police will have adequate body camera
03:39equipment when the special operations bill comes into effect prime minister camera passard besessa says
03:46implementation of the legislation will not be delayed while the state awaits a new batch of cameras
03:52the issue is raised with the prime minister after the police commissioner indicated that officers currently
03:58face challenges with the body cameras available to them the commissioner said the equipment can discharge
04:03after about 90 minutes raising questions about whether the cameras would be adequate for policing in enclosed areas
04:10designated under the bill the prime minister says new cameras will be used once they are procured but she made
04:17it
04:17clear stating quote the legislation will be passed proclaimed and implemented with or without the new batch of body cameras
04:27end quote the prime minister also addressed communities that may oppose the imposition of a special operations zone
04:34she says residents who do not want the measure can make their position known through their member of parliament
04:39she says her focus would instead be on communities seeking what she describes as added protection from violent crime
04:47she said quote any community that doesn't want the zoso are free to tell their mp to reject it end
04:54quote
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