Tobago police: We'll serve warrants on criminals visiting for Easter

CRIMINALS should stay out of Tobago this Easter.

That was the clear message delivered by Tobago Police Division head Snr Supt Benjamin and his colleague Supt Kirk at a briefing at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, on Thursday.

The two said the Tobago police were "on their game" with a high detection rate and a recent drop in serious offences. Further, they said police were undertaking a very serious exercise to serve warrants on any criminals, whether from Trinidad or Tobago, who find themselves in Tobago for Easter.

Benjamin said the police were creating a safe space for Tobago's 60,000 residents plus the 60,000 expected visitors from Trinidad for Easter.

He said from January-March, serious crimes had fallen by seven per cent, from 174 crimes in that period in 2021 to 162 so far this year, following new strategies put in place after an increase in crime in January.

Benjamin boasted that Tobago police had a detection rate of 47 per cent, or almost one out of every two crimes committed, way ahead of the overall national rate of 35 per cent.

He warned, "So we are just sending a signal here: Tobago is not really a place where the criminals should really be."

Attributing this success not only to his hard-working officers but also to the help of the community, Benjamin said the police would build a community partnership by way of a "Back to the Community" programme of public meetings to hear residents' concerns in various locales.

Benjamin said the Tobago police would carry out some very stringent exercises to apprehend individuals committing drunk-driving offences in Tobago at Easter, to maintain road safety.

He declared, "For Easter, persons might want to have a wonderful time, but we just want to caution people that the police will be out, and we will be ensuring there is law and order in Tobago

Benjamin sent a strong warning to any criminal elements heading to Tobago for Easter.

"You will be caught. We will ensure the safety and security of the island of Tobago."

Kirk said Tobago police would also serve outstanding warrants.

They will collaborate not only with the Trinidad police, he said, but also the Defence Force, Immigration Division, and Customs and Excise Division.

"Usually around this time we have a movement of people in large numbers. Our warrant officers will be out, in collaboration with the warrant officers from Trinidad."

Asked if warrants would also be served in Tobago on people visiting who had committed offences in Trinidad, Kirk said yes.

Earlier, Benjamin detailed the high detection rates for various crimes in Tobago, and the types of offences which had decreased in frequency. He said serious crime had dropped at four out of the six police stations in Tobago.

"There is a tremendous increase in our detection rate for some of our offences."

He said the high detection rate represented"outstanding work" by Tobago police.

"We have seen an increase in our detection rate in terms of our murders."

He said two killings in Tobago were both solved, giving a detection rate of 100 per cent for murder.

He listed detection rates as: narcotics offences (88 per cent), kidnapping (79 per cent), other serious offences (67 per cent), sexual offences (65 per cent), and woundings/shootings (58 per cent.)

Benjamin boasted that the number of guns seized had risen from four last year to eight this year, a 100 per cent improvement.

"We've also seen where there is remarkable decrease in quite a number of our offences."

He listed these decreases in incidents as: fraud (88 per cent), house larceny (75 per cent), general larceny (40 per cent) and break-ins (11 per cent.)

"Please note, Tobago is not perfect."

Benjamin outlined the crime rate at police stations in towns in Tobago. He said Charlotteville had this year recorded no offences of serious crime. Roxborough had five more incidents than last year but also a healthy 78 per cent detection rate.

Moriah has seen 15 more serious crimes than last year, representing a 240 per cent increase, but also enjoyed a healthy detection rate of 50 per cent, Benjamin said.

"For every two crimes, one is solved, and that is a tremendous accomplishment."

While 40 per cent of crimes in Tobago occur in Scarborough, he effused that station has a 45 per cent detection rate, with 29 out of 64 crimes solved.

Benjamin boasted of a "tremendous improvement" in two other stations: Shirvan, with a 30 per cent drop in serious crimes committed, and Crown Point, with a 44 per cent fall.