CoP: Police worldwide use masks for security

Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith says his office is yet to receive a freedom of information request from a concerned citizen who wants to know the police's policy on the use of face masks.

In a statement, Griffith said the request has not yet reached his office.

He added that the use of face masks by police in the course of their duties was a practice used worldwide for decades for obvious safety and security reasons.

Griffith added that he "shudders to think that persons would deliberately want to have police officers targeted and their families put in harm’s way, given the very dangerous nature of their jobs."

He also questioned the posting of Conrad Riley's request for the information by former UNC minister Devant Maharaj on his Facebook page.

"This seemingly points to a disingenuous agenda meant to create sensationalism and controversy, and the CoP questions if such an action will assist in keeping citizens safe or reduce crime in this country," the statement from the police said.

Riley's request, made on Monday, asked for any document, policy, guidelines, departmental order, regulation, standing order, instructions detailing or setting out the use of mask policy of the TTPS.

He also wants to copies of them which authorise units of the police service to use masks, and on which occasions they are authorised to do so.

Riley's attorney Terry Boyer wrote to the commissioner saying if the requested information was not supplied within the statutory period, judicial review proceedings will be started.