Senior cop warns parents: Correct wayward children or face consequences

Parents are being warned to take steps to steer their children away from a life of crime as they may also be liable to criminal prosecution for supporting their activities.

The warning was issued by Snr Supt Kerwin Francis of the Northern Division who urged parents not to be an accessory to their children's criminal activities.

He was speaking at the weekly police media briefing at the Police Administration Building, Sackville Street, Port of Spain on Thursday morning.

Francis suggested that parents who notice anti-social or troublesome behaviour in their children should take them to the police station where officers could talk and guide the child.

"Take that minor to the police station. You can reach out to W/Supt Guy-Alleyne and the Special Victims Department, and we can have a dialogue with respect to that child's trajectory.

"If we do not make that intervention at this time, pretty soon you may find that minor within the care of the state agencies with respect to matters of the court.

"Bring your children into the care of the police where we can give them some guidance to steer them away from criminal activities.

"We have the police youth clubs, we have the community policing secretariat which offers a number of initiatives that can assist young persons in steering them away from a life of crime."

Francis said failure to take measures to prevent criminality among their children could not only result in their children being arrested, but noted parents could also face criminal charges.

Referring to the Anti-Gang Act, Francis said a section of the legislation deals with prosecution for people who may not be gang members but assist gangs either through direct support or harbouring them from the police.

"There is an offence called 'counselling a gang' and one of the provisions in that section speaks to otherwise supporting the activities of a gang member or a gang.

"Secondly under the Anti-Gang Act there is also an offence of harbouring the member of a gang or a gang leader, so it's within that framework that statement was made.

"It is simply an indication that the investigations would be robust enough to consider the conduct of all persons who form part of the circle of any minor who might a member of a gang and involved in gang-related activities."

Francis said for 2022, 210 people were arrested and charged with gang-related offences in Maloney alone, while 24 were arrested and charged for gang offences in Pinto Road, Arima.