Young: Don’t judge police by murder toll

National Security Minister Stuart Young.
National Security Minister Stuart Young.

With 496 murders committed, as of press time on Thursday, National Security Minister Stuart Young said the police service should not be judged on the murder toll alone. He was responding to a question about plans to address the murder toll during the post-Cabinet media briefing held on Thursday at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.

Young said that particular tool of measuring crime is always at the forefront of discussions with heads of security of various divisions. “It is something that we constantly look at. But it doesn’t drive all of our decisions. What drives our decisions is to try and make TT a safer place and that is what we are working on.”

He continued: “I am not going to be able to tell you with any degree of particularity, as you would appreciate, what are the plans and the operations that are going to be implemented. But it is one of the factors that is looked at on a weekly basis by us.” Asked if the murder toll should be the only measure by which the police service is assessed Young replied “absolutely not”.

“You can’t just look at the homicide rate and judge police service. There is a perception of crime and there is crime. And I think any sensible and straight-minded citizen will accept that a lot has been going on and in the sphere of fighting crime.

“Within the past 18 months there have been some measures that have been successful. There are some which still grappling with and will always grapple with. There is crime everywhere.”

He noted there had been a mass shooting in Philadelphia, US.

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