CoP promises no abuse of power during this SoE

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith says the police have studied the failures and limitations of past states of emergency and have improved on their operations to prevent any abuse of power, while ensuring maximum law-enforcement coverage.

Speaking at the police weekly media briefing, at Sackville Street, Port of Spain, on Monday, Griffith said unlike past SoEs, which were declared in response to a criminal or terrorist threat, the pandemic required a different approach from the authorities.

He said while the authorities would be engaged in "intense policing," he tried to assure the public there would be no repeat of the 2011 SoE, when over 1,000 people were arrested.

"We will intensify our operational plans in targeting criminal elements during this period, but we will not be in a situation where we are just finding people and throwing them into detention centres.

"There is hope what you have seen..over the past two years is much better customer service in policing, even during an SoE, that is expected." Griffith has been in office for two years.

"And to the citizens, it is also your right to ask police officers for their badge number and ID number if challenged."

Referring to the arrest of six people on Sunday night for violating the curfew, he said the police would have used tact and suasion for the first night of the curfew, but warned that by Monday night they would be within their rights to detain, arrest and if necessary charge people for breaching the regulations, as more curfew passes would have been distributed.

Citing the shortcomings of the handling of the 1990 attempted coup as revealed by the commission of enquiry, Griffith said security forces will be co-operating closely through the National Operation Fusion Centre, where intelligence could be shared and operations planned.