‘Post criminals’ photos on light poles’

UPDATE:

AFTER police arrested six men from two Freeport gangs who robbed and terrorised their neighbours, the residents say they plan to print pictures of the men and stick them on lightpoles to warn others.
Speaking during a police town hall meeting in Arena Road, Freeport on Monday night, several residents asked if they would be allowed to stick the photos of repeat offenders who live in their community on utility poles.
In response, Snr Supt Inraj Balram, who heads the Central Division, said he believes it is a brilliant idea, but warned the residents not to go too far.
About 250 residents attended the meeting and both Balram and ACP Beverly Lewis remarked on the large turnout, saying it was one of the biggest they had seen at a town hall meeting. Balram said within recent months, police resources were pulled from other areas in the division and sent to Freeport, as residents were being targeted by criminals.
“If you want to put up posters in the community, I think it is a brilliant idea, but be careful of the extent to which you go, and do it within the law. In other words, don’t write anything that did not happen or that you made up.”
Insp Dane James, who heads the Freeport Police Station, listed the names of the four men who had been arrested, saying they were already before the court and he sees no issue with telling the residents their identities.
Speaking on crime detection, Balram said he believes if a database with DNA profiles for all citizens and visitors to TT is started, police will be able to catch criminals faster.
Balram said while police are working to fight organised crime, they are restricted by the law.
“If I had a recommendation to make, I would say let every citizen and every visitor to TT have their DNA samples logged in a national database that the police can use when investigating crimes, whether or not they are suspected of crimes or arrested,” he said.
Balram urged residents to remember they are raising the nation’s future police and said the attitudes children grow with shape them if or when they become police.
“You have the responsibility to train from birth our future officers. The things you teach them, the morals and values, are what their actions will come down to if they join the force.”
Lewis told residents the police executive is very concerned about crime in their area.
“The Freeport district and Arena in particular has seen an increase in crime, compared to statistics from 2017. In May and June, 2018 alone there was an alarming escalation of crime affecting this community,” Lewis said.
Councillor for the area Anil Baliram, read from a message on his phone from a Caparo resident who had been robbed of their car and cellphone about six weeks ago.
“I got this message from a crime victim, someone who is crying out for justice and cannot get it. It says ‘Why am I seeing a police special unit to find the Finance Minister’s (Colm Imbert) son cellphone? Police still can’t get back my car and my cellphone. Why is he more important than me?’
“This is how people are feeling now, unsafe and unimportant,” Baliram said.
A farmer begged police to take reports of praedial larceny more seriously and investigate roadside vendors who “pop up” with bags of produce.
“We have a lot of farmers in this community, and their crops are being invaded during the night. There are men who claim they are going to hunt, and when you see them, they catch a bag of corn or cassava or zaboca,” he said. “You need to do some kind of investigation, because these same men standing on the corners and selling the stolen goods, and the police passing, seeing them and turning a blind eye.”

ORIGINAL POST:

SENIOR Supt Inraj Balram believes if a database with DNA profiles for all citizens and visitors to TT is started, crime detection will increase drastically.

Speaking at a police town hall meeting in Arena Road, Freeport, on Monday night, Balram said while police are working to fight organised crime, they are restricted by the law.

“If I had a recommendation to make, I would say let every citizen and every visitor to TT have their DNA samples logged in a national database that the police can use when investigating crimes, whether or not they are suspected of crimes or arrested,” Balram said.

Balram, who heads the Central Division, said within recent months, police resources were pulled from other areas in the division and sent to Freeport, as residents were being targeted by criminals.

About 250 residents attended the meeting and both Balram and ACP Beverly Lewis remarked on the large turnout, saying it was one of the biggest crowds they had seen at a town hall meeting.

Balram urged residents to remember that they are raising the nation’s future police and said the attitudes children grow with shape them if or when they become police.

“You have the responsibility to train from birth our future officers. The things you teach them, the morals and values, are what their actions will come down to if they join the force.”

Several residents asked about men from within the community who had been arrested for robbing their neighbours and Insp Dane James, who heads the Freeport and Brasso Police stations, listed four men from that group.

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