Illegal drugs, guns, noise in Signal Hill

Acting Senior Superintendent Jeffrey George respond to concerns by citizens at a police meeting at the Signal Hill community centre last week Wednesday.
Acting Senior Superintendent Jeffrey George respond to concerns by citizens at a police meeting at the Signal Hill community centre last week Wednesday.

Illegal drugs, firearms, low detection rate for criminal offences and noise pollution are making life uncomfortable for residents, especially retirees, in Signal Hill.

The residents complained to police officers at a village meeting last Wednesday evening at the Signal Hill community centre.

Geoffrey Lewis, President of Association of Retired Persons, recommended that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) develop programmes to help improve the lives of senior citizens in Tobago.

“We used to have Community Policing before where the seniors could have called the police just to talk about things affecting us,” Lewis said.

Retiree Eric Alexander, a resident of Tranquility Heights, Signal Hill, called on the officers to deal seriously with illegal drugs. Alexander also said though he doesn’t feel threatened by serious crimes, he feels insecure because of the low detection rate in the Signal Hill area.

“I am referring particularly to the drug trade. The spinoffs affect us directly because they make people vagrants on the street and these same vagrants turn around and prey on the retirees.

“It is very few times I would hear of any dent on the drug trade in Tobago,” he said.

Residents of Signal Hill gather for a police meeting at the community centre last week Wednesday.

On noise pollution, Alexander complained that this was a major issue for seniors in Signal Hill, especially at nightime, running up to 3am. He said the police has not shown any interest in dealing with the noisemakers. Pearl Hector suggested police increased patrols in Signal Hill, and also penalised the unlawful use of firecrackers by young people in the streets, to deal with noise.

Another senior citizen, Angus Williams, complained about the use of firearms in the area.

“There are times I am in my bed and I hear some things ring-out like gunshots in certain areas in this village and I have been wondering if the police can do something to help us. This is something that happens regularly,” he reported. Williams also complained about drag racing late at nights.

“Let’s root out the criminal elements in this village, they have us living in fear and scared to walk the street at nights. They have us locking our doors and we are never too sure because with any little noise we get a shimmer.”

And yet another resident called on police to put a stop to loitering around the community centre, reporting that persons were in the habit of gathering there to smoke marijuana.

Responding to the concerns, acting Senior Superintendent Jeffrey George said despite the effort made by officers on the island, crime could not be solved without assistance from members of the public.

“People are not willing anymore to do their civic duty to ensure their area remains safe. We want people to understand if they turn their eyes on the small things, then when the big things come up you will become a prisoner in your own house, you will be afraid to leave. “People need to start to say they have had enough, give us the information and we will deal with it,” George said. He said officers would work with senior citizens to sensitise them about the safety procedures they could take to prevent becoming victims of crime.

Noting that the Tobago, the detection rate was 38 per cent, above the national target of 36 per cent, George said officers were working on increase this percentage. He reiterated that a zero tolerance policy on firearms, and related offences and threats was in effect.

Also responding to the concerns, Assistant Senior Superintendent David Powder, stressed on the need for information from the public to act on crime.

“We can’t work alone to battle the drug trade, we need to get information. Most times, the police might patrol and interact with person son the street and maybe they might find persons in the possession of drugs but to bring down the real drug lords we need information where we can act to remove the drugs from the street,” Powder said.

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"Illegal drugs, guns, noise in Signal Hill"

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