Port of Spain city police assigned to help avert school fights downtown

Port of Spain city police have said they are taking steps to mitigate fights among schoolchildren downtown by deploying more officers in strategic locations.

Speaking with Newsday on Tuesday, an officer from the public engagement and welfare unit said more regular patrols in certain parts of downtown Port of Spain have led to a reduction in the overall incidence of school violence on the streets. But the police continue to be vigilant about any scuffles.

The officer said fights tend to happen at areas like fast food restaurants and taxi stands where students from multiple schools can mingle, and said police have been assigned to keep watch on these spots during after school hours.

"There are certain areas that we've identified from past experiences to have a lot of fights, particularly in places like...the corner of Park and Frederick Street...Independence Square near the Chaguanas Taxi Stand, and even near City Gate.

"It can be difficult in a city like Port of Spain, where there is a taxi stand on almost every corner, but we are also working with police from the Port of Spain Division to assist us.

"We have also seen a trend emerging where some fights seem to be happening near squares like Victoria Square and Independence Square, but we have posted officers to these zones when we know school is about to end for the day to try and prevent this."

Another officer said she was aware fights were more prevalent on certain Fridays and the day before the end of the school term, and promised the police would maintain a visible presence to keep order.

She also reminded parents that depending on the severity of fights and injuries, children could be arrested and charged.

"As part of our policy, whenever we detain a child for fighting, we need to call in their parents as well, but what we find unfortunate is that on many occasions, the parents seem to have the same attitude as the child. In other cases, the parents seem to have exhausted all their options in dealing with the child.

"But we have a responsibility to act if a situation arises where a child seriously injures another person, so charges are possible."

She appealed: "We are asking parents to make every effort to talk to your children. A lot of times in our experience the child is in need of attention. So we are hoping that parents can help us before this becomes a problem for us, as police, to deal with."