Neighbour must look after neighbour

FIGHTING crime is everyone’s business. While police are tasked with upholding the law, citizens play a vital part in protecting themselves and the people around them, from the criminal elements in society.

While there are restrictions on citizens taking matters into their own hands, there are several ways in which a citizen can help stop a crime from happening or capture a criminal.

At a police town meeting last week in Barataria, founder of Crime Stoppers and executive director of Community Defense Services, Daryl Carmichael, told Barataria residents of the three programmes developed, where citizens can play their part in the fight against crime.

One of the programmes is CSAFE or Community Security Awareness For Everyone. This was launched by Community Defence Services, the Powerful Ladies of Trinidad and Tobago (PLOTT) and the Police Service in December 2016.

CSAFE is a mobile app that allows citizens to see information on missing people, people wanted by the police and allows citizens to upload photos and videos of crimes which they capture on camera.

Carmichael said information is put into the app by police officers, so citizens can be assured that the information is legitimate.

Carmichael added there was also a platform called Smart Connect where citizens can send pictures or report on crimes which have happened, with the touch of a button. Once sent, police are obligated to investigate and give a feedback in a timely manner through the app.

Carmichael advised however, this could not be used as a means of filing an official report. He advised that even though people put up information on the app, they should still make a report to their nearest police station.

According to Carmichael, Crime Stoppers has been instrumental in seizing over $297 million in narcotics and $97 million in stolen property in the 17 years which it has been in operation.

This programme is also entirely a non-governmental organisation, which is comprised of citizens.

People make an anonymous call to the crime stoppers call centre and they take the information received and forwards it to police officers. “Murder, rape and other crimes have also been solved because people call crime stoppers,” he said.

Carmichael added that all the programmes are free and easy to operate and may be the difference between a crime-ridden community and a peaceful one. “What we are trying to bring back is a culture of neighbour looking after neighbour” Carmichael said.