CoP: TTPS virtually crippled by covid19

INCREASING cases of covid19 are virtually crippling the police, Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith said on Wednesday, as several police recruits tested positive for the virus.

As at Wednesday afternoon 114 of 198 trainees tested positive for the virus. Newsday was told that in the first instance, 39 recruits were tested positive, followed by 43 and now 32 more have tested positive for the virus. Griffith, during his weekly media briefing at the Police Administration Building, said the number of officers and trainees affected by the virus was having a negative effect on the running of the police service.

“It is virtually crippling us. And with covid19 when one police officer is down, it’s not just that one; it could be dozens of police officers directly or indirectly affected in that station. So it becomes a domino effect. So the officers, they are tired, they are working, and doing all that is required. Yet what do they get?”

Two floors at the administration building were sanitised on Wednesday as a precaution.

Recruits told Newsday that they were kept at the academy for over a month without leaving and still contracted the virus. The last time they were outside the confines of the academy was for election coverage and since August 10, election day, they have been confined. All 114 tested positive after they were confined to barracks.

In March recruits complained about not being allowed to leave during the first wave of the virus. According to the recruits, they were told that they were safer inside “under quarantine like conditions” than outside.

With more than half the trainees now positive, the recruits complained that they should not have been allowed to continue training as the academy is a learning institution accredited by the Accreditation Council of TT and therefore subjected to the mandatory closure announced in March.

Asked why was the academy operating even though all learning institutions had to close, Griffith said it was given an exemption by National Security Minister Stuart Young to continue as the school was classified as an essential service.

“We got the relevant and requisite permission from the Ministry, however, we had to ensure we did certain elements. Remember we are talking about almost 200 police officers that we need to get on the ground. When it first started we had the 198 recruits and they were confined.”

“The ministry gave us permission to train our police officers. For instance we are about to launch the coastal patrol marine unit. But the ordinance says you’re not supposed to go in the water. But we need that training for our officers to get that unit out as quickly as possible to secure our borders. So certain exceptions will be made. But when we make the request we must adhere to the regulations outside of that.”