Cheers for Griffith at downtown walkabout

No sooner had he stepped out of a black SUV, Police Commissioner Gary Griffith was greeted with cheers and applause from masqueraders, members of a steel band and onlookers for J'Ouvert celebrations at South Quay, Port of Spain yesterday morning.

Griffith, accompanied by National Security Minister Stuart Young, members of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) and the Port of Spain City Police conducted the annual walkabout along South Quay.

Speaking with reporters, Griffith said he was pleased with the response of the police in coming out to assist in securing festivities in the city and thanked the public for their support and for cooperating with them.

"For the last few weeks the police has been in operation mode, thankfully it has been virtually incident free. I think we are on track to being the safest Carnival ever. We are going to the Operational Command Centre, where information from our drones are being fed back to in real time.

"Police officers are being strategically placed throughout the country. What I am asking the public is to assist us to assist them. We want to be seen and not heard. The only time we want to be heard is if something happens."

Griffith said also essential to this year's security plan was to remove the perception and fear of crime by making police officers more visible in areas throughout the city and the country.

Minister Young also remarked that public response to various initiatives from the police has been very positive.

"It's been very positive so far, all you hear is 'Gary, Gary' from the people, so it has been very positive."

Young also stressed the use of technology through cameras and drones in fighting crime and expressed optimism in the abilities of the police.