CoP: We are going after the major crime players

THE police service is hoping to catch major players in the criminal underworld during the state of emergency (SoE), according to Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher.

Speaking to reporters outside the St Paul's Anglican Church in San Fernando after the police's annual interfaith service on January 5, the commissioner said they are experiencing "a measure of success" in their crackdown on gangsters and other criminals.

A release on January 4 said 1,011 searches have been conducted since the SoE was declared on December 30 and had led to the arrest of 126 people and the seizure of 17 weapons and 675 rounds of ammunition.

It did not give a breakdown of the offences these people were arrested for.

Asked by Newsday if police are sweeping up major players or "big fish" in these exercises or just low-level criminals, Harewood-Christopher said: "We have a mix."
Although seven days had already passed since the SoE was declared, she said it was still early days.

"We are hopeful that we would get all the big fish."

The CoP was not in a position at the time to state how many of these 126 people arrested have been charged and brought before the courts.

Among those arrested was a former national footballer from Petit Valley. Police discovered a cache of weapons ranging from pistols to an automatic rifle along with US$25,000 and over TT$100,000 at his home.

However, also being swept up in exercises are those like a 21-year-old man from King's Wharf, San Fernando, who was nabbed for possession of a weapon when officers found a knife on him on January 1.

Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police and head of the extortion unit Richard Smith said they have seen an increase in business owners coming forward with reports of people demanding money illegally, even before the SoE.

"Prior to the state of emergency, we have arrested ten persons, inclusive of a gang leader from Port of Spain. We are continuing our investigations. We have some targets we are pursuing. We will continue to pursue them during the state of emergency and even afterwards."

He said the unit would capitalise on the enhanced powers available to it during the SoE to make further arrests, as it was currently targeting around 14 suspects.

He said the unit has gone from having 29 reports to 63 reports of extortion to investigate, primarily in the Central and Northern districts of Trinidad.

He said the police now have a detection rate of up to 40 per cent for these offences.