[UPDATED] More officers, $80m for police vehicles in 2024

The government has allocated $80 million for new police vehicles and has ordered the Commissioner of Police to treble the recruit intake next year, all in a bid to address crime.

Speaking during Monday’s budget presentation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the total number of active police officers is constantly affected by retirement, resignation and leave.

“To bring the service back to full strength, we have mandated the commissioner of police to triple the intake of recruits from the usual annual intake of 300 recruits a year to 1,000 in 2024.”

Imbert said officers will be trained at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre and, after school hours, at schools in the interim while the police academy is expanded.

He said the new vehicles the police are expected to acquire in 2024 will allow the expansion and establishment of community patrols and give citizens a greater sense of comfort.

Imbert added the government has awarded a $90 million contract for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of four large-scale non-intrusive inspection scanners for shipping containers.

The scanners, he said, will be deployed at the Port of Spain and Point Lisas ports. He said these scanners will complement the hand-held scanners, which will be used by customs officers.

“We have provided an additional $4.5 million for acquiring 16 hand-held scanners by the customs and excise division to enhance the division’s detection and threat-mitigation capabilities.”

Imbert noted the importance of maritime and border security in crime reduction as he announced the establishment of a $15 million new riverine police unit at the Carenage Police Station.

“This sum is for the design and commencement of construction of a jetty at Carenage and for the acquisition of up to ten fast and nimble inshore vessels to patrol our major rivers and inshore areas, which are areas of criminal activity.”

He said the new unit will collaborate with the Coast Guard.

Imbert congratulated the police service as he said the data suggests they have managed to “contain the increase” in serious crimes.

“Serious crimes rose from 10,715 in 2015 to 12,928 in 2018 and declined marginally after that, to 12,802 in 2022.
"The illegal possession of firearms and ammunition has been fairly constant, recording 1,162 in 2017, when statistics began to be collected, and 1,166 in 2022.”

He highlighted the decrease in burglaries and break-ins.

“Burglary and break-ins have fallen from 2,111 in 2015 to 1,733 in 2022, and in the period January-August 2023, this category was running at a lower rate of 110 per month, reaching 881.”

Imbert said the data was also indicative of “some emerging success” in the police's violent crime reduction plan, which aims to increase the detection and removal of firearms from the streets and reduce murder, wounding and shootings.

“The four major crimes impacting people: burglaries and break-ins, robberies, larceny at dwelling houses and larceny of motor vehicles - are on a downward trajectory.
"In 2022, there were 4,766 reports received under this collective category of crime. By August 2023, reports under this category fell to 3040 or (equivalent to) 380 on a monthly basis.”

He said this figure was somewhat lower than the 397 monthly reports received in 2022.

Imbert also promised a greater social media presence by the police, which he said could play a part in reducing certain crimes, including home invasions.

“Greater collaboration between our communities and law enforcement will undoubtedly remove the desire and disposition of people to commit crimes and violence and to keep its incidence on a downward trend.”

National security received an increased allocation in this year’s budget compared to 2022, from $5.798 billion to $6.912 billion.

There was also an increase in the percentage of general expenditure awarded to national security. Last year, it accounted for 10.05 per cent of the budget and this year, it rose to 11.67 per cent.

Energy Minister Stuart Young has suggested the national security initiatives announced in the budget are part of a wider approach by the government to address crime.

Speaking during a post-budget debate on CNC3, he pointed to the youth initiatives, adding, “When these things are pulled off it is going to have an impact.”

Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi meanwhile pointed to the increase in minimum wage as another measure in the fight against crime.

“For a security guard that works a 12-hour shift, that’s $990 more a month, which still is tax-free. That adds crime and security manpower to the burning issue of crime and therefore, it goes a significant way to meeting one of the real issues.”

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

The government has allocated $80 million for new police vehicles and has ordered the Commissioner of Police to triple the recruit intake next year, all in a bid to address crime.

Speaking during Monday’s budget presentation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the total number of active police officers is constantly affected by retirement, resignation and leave.

“To bring the service back to full strength, we have mandated the commissioner of police to triple the intake of recruits from the usual annual intake of 300 recruits a year to 1,000 in 2024.”

Imbert said officers will be trained at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre and, after school hours, at schools, in the interim, while the police academy is expanded.

He said the new vehicles the police are expected to acquire in 2024 will allow for the expansion and establishment of more community patrols and give citizens a greater sense of comfort.

Imbert added the government has awarded a $90 million contract for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of four large-scale non-intrusive inspection scanners for the Port of Spain and Point Lisas ports.