MSJ: Police killings have escalated

THE Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) is alleging there has been escalation of police killings in TT.

In a statement, the MSJ said, "There continues to be the anguish of citizens who claim that the police are executing persons in their community, whilst the police claim otherwise."

The MSJ said the people of TT need to know the truth.

"We just cannot take the police’s statement as fact. We have had many instances in the past when this has not been so."

The MSJ claimed there there is a section of the population "who seem not to matter, who are voiceless, and who face the brunt of the inequities and injustice in the society." The MSJ also claimed the that the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) was very constrained as an investigative institution to look into such matters.

The MSJ also said Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith promised to implement body cameras on police officers but that had not happened "some two years after he made the promise to the country."

The MSJ said it will continue to press Griffith until the issue is resolved.

In response, Griffith said, "It seems that the sole manifesto for both MSJ and Kirk Waithe's one-man party is to talk about the Police Service."

He continued, "Interesting that MSJ's concern is only earmarked at police using relevant and equivalent force to defend themselves when fired upon."

Griffith also said, "So it seems they missed the concern of the massive increase in criminals shooting and attempting to kill police officers.

"They also seem silent on the 500 plus lives lost to murderers last year that had nothing to do with the police."