Griffith: Police were wrong

Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith has said the police who stopped Public Utilities Minister Robert Le Hunte on Sunday were in the wrong.

Responding to a Newsday story this morning, Griffith said they were in the wrong because they did not put up a 'no entry' sign at the entrance to the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, where Le Hunte was trying to go.

Griffith said one of his officers also acted inappropriately by not giving Le Hunte his correct regimental number.

He said it was not a matter of Le Hunte being on the phone as originally suggested, but was about Le Hunte trying to get into the Hyatt from Wrightson Road not knowing it was closed off.

"It's not just because he is a Minister that I took his call, I take calls like that from hundreds of citizens with everything from traffic congestion, to neighbours stealing mangoes to reports of serious crimes. I will continue to work hard to foster closer relations between the public and the police," Griffith said.

Griffith said while he is prepared to fight for the rights of citizens, he is also prepared to defend his officers if confronted by citizens.