National Security Minister on illegal CCTV cameras: Criminals always want to spy on police

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said criminals have always wanted to monitor the operations of the police, describing the discovery of illegal CCTV cameras as nothing new.

The illegal cameras were mounted on TT Electricity Commission (T&TEC) light poles without the company’s permission at Monte Grande, Tunapuna, and Basanta Trace, St John Road, St Augustine.

Responding to questions from UNC MP and deputy political leader Dr Roodal Moonilal in Parliament on May 13, Hinds said the discovery was not unprecedented.

“We have seen this in Trinidad and Tobago before, this occurs across the world and is not unique to Trinidad and Tobago.”

He said a team had been created to answer “who, what, where, when, and under whose authority.”

Describing the team as "powerful," he did not go into any further detail about it. Hinds said T&TEC never gave any authorisation for the cameras to be put on its poles.

Hinds said the cybercrime, social-media, research and legal units of police were providing technical assistance to the investigation.

Additionally, Hinds said the police were conducting interviews with residents in both communities in an effort to help with their investigation.

Hinds said 23 cameras were discovered by police and after officers observed the cameras, they collaborated with T&TEC before having them removed.

He said police were also conducting investigations to determine if there were other illegal cameras mounted throughout Trinidad and Tobago. He denied rumours that the total number of cameras seized was 62, not 23.

“All this small talk about 61, 62 cameras is not true. Police did not seize monitoring equipment in offices and homes, that is also untrue.”

After Hind's response, Oropouche East MP Moonilal labelled Hind's response as pathetic and lethargic before asking if an independent investigation would take place.

A fiery Hinds said, “It is the police who investigate crime and in terms of monitoring the national security affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) is responsible.”

He said both the police and SSA were conducting investigations.

Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein asked Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales if T&TEC would have its own investigation.

Gonzales said he was advised by T&TEC the company was collaborating with the police.

The police, via a Facebook post on May 13, also confirmed 23 illegal cameras were removed by its North Central Division officers. The post said officers conducted a “decisive intelligence-led operation aimed at preserving the integrity of crime-fighting efforts.”

The Facebook post said between 8.30 and 10.30 on April 10, officers removed the illegal cameras from T&TEC light poles, which specifically targeted Monte Grande in Tunapuna and Bassanta Trace, St John Road in St Augustine.

Thirteen cameras were removed from Monte Grande and ten from Bassanta Trace. The 23 cameras were taken to the Tunapuna Police Station for further processing.

The post said any camera or any other equipment mounted on a T&TEC pole needed “explicit written authorisation from T&TEC.”

It called the removal a co-ordinated effort with officers from the Tunapuna Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Northern Division Task Force West, T&TEC Estate Police and T&TEC Emergency Unit.

On May 12, head of the police's North-Central Division Snr Supt Richard Smith said police might now face greater difficulty in nabbing the criminals involved because information about the investigation had gone public.

Speaking to Newsday by phone, Smith said he could not understand why the details of such a sensitive investigation had been provided to a media house.

On May 11, another newspaper reported criminal gangs were using illegally set-up security cameras to monitor police and civilians. The media house said the information came from an internal police memo.

"It can really prevent us from nabbing the people involved because they can now move differently."

Smith said it was unclear just how many more illegal cameras existed across the country.