CoP commends officers for 'exemplary performance'

THIRTEEN police officers were praised by acting Police Commissioner Mc Donald Jacob on Tuesday for their dedication to duty at a promotion ceremony in which three more officers were promoted to the rank of inspector.

Ten of the officers were commended for their work in seizing $8 million at a promotion ceremony while three others were praised for their part in saving the life of a 14-year-old girl at a high-rise carpark in Port of Spain last week.

At the ceremony at the Police Administration, Building, Sackville Street, Port of Spain, the police executive, led by Jacob, lauded the work of ten officers assigned to the Special Branch Unit.

A police statement said the officers were praised for their "exemplary performance" in apprehending four people in relation to the $8 million seizure.

In a media release in January, police said the seizure took place on January 26 after extensive investigations by members of the Northern Division.

Police went to a house at Olympia Avenue, Millennium Park, Trincity, with a search warrant for guns and ammunition.

During the search, officers found and seized 201 glass vials of ketamin, 76 zip lock packets of ketamine, $33,775 in polymer notes, $53 in cotton notes and several apparatus for consuming the drugs.

Jaicheng Jiang, 26, was charged with trafficking the 12.7 kilogrammes of ketamine which had a street value of $8,623,300.

Three other Chinese nationals, two men aged 38 and 29 and a 27-year-old woman who were found at the house were also arrested.

Jacob, the release said, in addressing the officers at Tuesday's ceremony, stressed that although what they did was part of their normal duties, there were far-reaching positive outcomes for the police and the country. He added that the impact the job done had on the country could not be quantified due to the huge impact made on transnational crime.

Jacob also commended the three members of the North Eastern Division Task Force (NEDTF) for their decisiveness and critical thinking on June 1.

The officers, Cpl George and constables Andrews and Nanan were part of an operation that resulted in saving the life of a 14-year-old girl from atop a carpark on Edward Street, Port of Spain.

Jacob also gave instruments of appointment to sergeants Allison Joseph, Brian Daniel and Eric Knutt, in recognition of their promotion to the rank of inspector.