Senior officers optimistic of anti-gang bill’s passing

SENIOR members of the Police Service expressed satisfaction and optimism that if made into law, the proposed anti-gang legislation will be a major advantage for law enforcement as they continue their fight against crime.

However, while they were pleased with the bill’s unanimous passing in the Lower House last Friday, they believed the effectiveness of the legislation rested on the capabilities of officers in the field.

A senior officer within the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) told Newsday yesterday he was happy with the bill’s passing and said it represented a serious approach to crime and justice by both Government and Opposition.

He said both parties acted professionally.

The officer said while the legislation would be a major game-changer, he and his colleagues would still have to operate at full capacity to ensure it is used properly and not abused.

“It all comes back down to the officers on the street. They are the ones we rely on to make sure this is a success. If used properly, it definitely has the potential to make for a safer TT. The last anti-gang law passed had a lot of flaws, but the new version, I feel, has the robustness to make a difference.”

Asked if he felt, officers’ morale would be higher if the bill was made into law, he said officers should display high morale at all times, whether it is passed into legislation or not.

Despite this, he said they remained challenged by an increasingly brazen criminal underworld, who have taken to firing shots at passing police vehicles.

He said while officers have not reported such incidents, it remains of the utmost concern as they carry out their duties.

“In some cases they have even hit the vehicles in which the officers were travelling. We don’t raise much of a fuss, because we know that is what happens in this line of work. But we don’t want to wait until an officer is wounded or killed, before we take action.”

On Friday, the amended Anti-Gang Bill was passed unanimously in the House of Representatives and makes it an offence to be a member of a gang, to be in possession of a bulletproof vest, to participate in, or contribute to, the activities of a gang, to support or invite support for a gang, or to harbour or conceal gang members or recruit people to a gang.

It now has to go before the Senate for a vote and, if approved, will be assented to law.