CoP: Ticketing of homeless being investigated

POLICE Commissioner Gary Griffith said the matter of socially displaced people being ticketed for not wearing masks is being investigated. Griffith said he needed to confirm if these people were really socially displaced or homeless people since he received other reports which said that they were not.

Griffith spoke to Newsday on Sunday.

On Saturday, at least five homeless people were issued fixed penalty tickets by police for failing to wear masks in public near Harris Promenade and Mucurapo Street, San Fernando.

One of the men said he does not have money to buy masks or pay the fine.

“I don’t live anywhere. I live on the streets because I don’t have a place to go. You think I like it here? I have no money to but food, so where will I get money to buy a mask?”

Griffith asked, “Have we confirmed that these people are displaced citizens?

“Before people make assumptions, the first thing I need to verify - because I am getting other reports - are these people displaced citizens in the first place.”

He said he needs to confirm this before he makes any other comment.

Asked what would he do if it is proven that the people are indeed displaced citizens, Griffith said when he reaches that hurdle he will make a statement. He said his initial comment and standard operational procedure for homeless people is that masks are to be given instead of tickets.

“Which was the decision I had made,” he said.

Griffith could not provide a time line as to how long the investigation will take.