Tobago police, bmobile partner for social relief

Needy Tobagonians will benefit from relief hampers courtesy a partnership between bmobile and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Community Policing Unit.

The partnership will facilitate the continued distribution of relief to individuals and families distressed by the pandemic.

Over 100 hampers have been given out by the unit since the initiation of the second lockdown in March of this year.

A Tobago Community Policing Unit spokesperson said officers work closely with communities and are therefore able to identify cases where support is required. The police representative said they were overwhelmed by bmobile’s prompt support.

“The contribution from bmobile is greatly appreciated. It has enabled us to reach out to more families who need assistance.”

Gerard Cooper, general manager, Shared Services at TSTT, applauded Tobago's Community Policing Unit for their dedication to uplifting their community. He said, “Now more than ever, organisations need to shift gears and join the fight against covid19 by pledging support, mobilising operations and providing assistance to vulnerable individuals and communities.”

He said bmobile has risen to the challenge of this global crisis. The company said it will continue to work with trusted NGOs to help people and communities affected by the pandemic. “Against a background of limited resources, innovative public-private partnerships are increasingly important for making a positive impact,” he added.

The police spokesperson added that as community officers, their primary concern is the care and welfare of the community. “Since the pandemic...we have seen a very high increase with families in need. The officers at the unit also contribute a daily savings amount which goes toward hampers and other goodwill projects, but we rely heavily on corporate sponsors to keep this hamper drive in constant motion.”

The officer added: “People are selected based on their present situation. We also assist other units/sections within the TTPS who work closely with families in need – units such as Gender-based Violence, Child Protection Unit, Special Branch, Emergency Rapid Response Unit and even units outside the TTPS such as Student Support and Social Workers who we work closely with. As the unit attempts to support as many affected families as possible, it has indeed been challenging trying to meet the growing demand. Each case is assessed before distribution to ensure that available supplies are distributed to the families most in need.”

Any NGOs willing to assist, can contact the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Community Policing Unit –Tobago Division via email at communitypolicingunit000@gmail.com or by telephone at 639-4737 ext.14029, 639-8888 ext.14126-27,757-2035, 276-9156 and 754-8623