New Municipal police star in arrest

FRESH from their passing out ceremony on Saturday, two new Municipal police officers joined with their colleagues in chasing down and apprehending a suspect yesterday in Chaguanas who was found with a bag of compressed marijuana.

Constables Halls and Holder were praised by Insp Balliram Lalla of the Chaguanas Municipal Police for the role they played in nabbing the suspect, two days after the two officers participated in the passing out parade at the Police Academy in St James.

According to a report, at about 2.30 pm, Insp Lalla was leading a party of officers which included Cpl Rambahal and PCs Nandlal, Halls and Holder on an anti-crime exercise along Eleanor Street near the Montrose Vedic Primary School.

PC Halls noticed a 21-year-old Diego Martin man fidgeting nervously and as he called out, the suspect bolted. A chase ensued and PC Halls and Holder later cornered the suspect a short distance away.

He was taken to the Chaguanas Municipal Police office, charged by PC Halls with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and is expected to appear today in the Chaguanas Magistrates courts.

Insp Lalla told Newsday the action of PC Halls and Holder sets the tone for a greater presence of Municipal Police in the central borough. He said that with new additions to the force, following the passing out parade, he intends to make a dent in crime in Chaguanas.

Lalla said the two newly minted officers lived up to the advice given at the passing out parade by Local Govt Minister Kazim Hosein that they listen more, talk less and do their job effectively.