Police: Record low Carnival crime

Improved intelligence-gathering, together with an aggressive campaign against criminals in the Port of Spain Division, were credited for a record low number of serious reported crimes for the Carnival period, acting Insp Randall McGuirk of the Besson Street Police Station said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the weekly police media briefing at Sackville Street, Port of Spain, McGuirk announced a 36 per cent decrease in serious reported crimes for Carnival, compared to the same period last year. He said, “The immense policing operation which involved 1,200 police officers drawn from various branches, units and sections of the TT Police Service and supporting agencies resulted in a record low for serious reported crimes for the division out of a similar record low of 12 reported crimes for
the nation
.

“This successful operation was made possible through several policing strategies including stop-and-search exercises at strategic locations, breathalyser exercises, air support through drone technology and increased mobile and foot patrols.” McGuirk also said there were 236 serious reported crimes recorded for 2019 compared to 367 for the same period last year, and improved intelligence-gathering also led to the seizure of 21 guns compared to last year’s figure of 17.

Among the successes McGuirk reported were also a decrease in robberies in the division: 60, compared to last year’s 106, or a 43 per cent decrease.

He said the police intended to maintain some consistency in their activities even after Carnival and thanked the public for its co-operation.