Griffith: 'Baptism of fire' in last two months

COMMISSIONER of Police Gary Griffith says he has had a "baptism of fire" in the last two months.

"From kidnappings to floods to earthquakes to plans to shut down the country to day of rest and relaxation it's been a pretty hectic tour of duty over the last two months."

He was the feature speaker at the British High Commission Safety Awareness Week Security Awareness for Everyone (SAFE) event held Wednesday at the residence of the British High Commissioner in Maraval. The event was sponsored by Amalgamated Security Services.

Griffith said it was important not to work in silos and the recent scenario with the flood the security services operated above and beyond. He said that he and Chief of Defence Staff Commodore Hayden Pritchard worked together and they looked at different models including the Cabinet Operations Briefing Room A (COBRA) system in UK.

"I said what it is we are doing wrong in Trinidad and Tobago when we have a national or man made disaster and we all seem to be playing catch up."

Griffith said through the system of a National Operation Fusion Centre, which piggy backed on what he saw in the UK, they were able to have the different agencies – police service, fire service, Defence Force, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management working with National Security Ministry – work together.

He also said the private security industry in this country for far too long has been under utilised and can be used to a much greater value in dealing with serious crime.