After first month of SoE, murders down but fear of crime still high

One month into the state of emergency, a total of 70 guns has been seized, along with nearly 1,500 rounds of ammunition and 12 fewer murders for January.
On average, police seize about 700 illegal guns a year, about 60 a month, without the additional powers of a state of emergency (SoE).
On December 30 last year ,the SoE was declared, based on information to suppress gang violence following a brazen gun attack outside the Besson Street Police Station, where a suspected gang leader was targeted, and an alleged retaliatory shooting in which five people were shot dead in Laventille.
On January 13, Parliament approved the extension of the SoE for three months but many people, including members of the UNC, have questioned the effectiveness and success of the greatest weapon used so far in the fight against spiralling crime under the PNM.
Under the emergency powers regulations 2024, which covers the ongoing SoE, the National Security Minister has ordered the detention of five people, without bail, based on credible information that they are involved in serious crime and gang activity.
They are Kevon Bocage, Jonathan Caleb Jay Bushell, also known as Froggy, Ezekiel Morris, also called Easy, Carlvin Lee, also called Tyson and Joshua Roberts, also called Jaffa.
DCP Junior Benjamin, speaking at a police press briefing on January 31 at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, said during the SoE so far police had done 1,813 operations, leading to the arrest of 1,423 people, but did not say how many were charged with serious offences.
In addition to 160 kilogrammes of marijuana, an undisclosed quantity of cocaine, and traffic offences, which include breaches of the tint laws, there have been numerous roadblocks across the country.
Discussing violent crimes, Benjamin said there were 32 murders in January, a reduction compared to the 44 during the same period in 2024.
In 2023, there were 61 murders for January.
Benjamin shared that wounding and shootings saw a drop, with 27 reported this year, compared to 57 last year.
Similarly, sexual offences decreased from 91 to 32, and kidnappings dropped from 11 to seven.
He boasted there were no kidnappings for ransom, marking an improvement over the previous year. In the case of Shashi Anand Persad, who was kidnapped on November 21 and remains missing, one suspect, Kareem Rodriguez, was charged and appeared in court on January 27.
There was also a reduction in the number of robberies, from 239 to 93, for the month of January.
Benjamin attributed the decline to focused efforts targeting gang-related activities and homicides, reporting a decrease of at least 50 per cent in gang-related murders.
Putting a brick to stop a flood
Clinical psychologist Victoria Siewnarine-Geelalsingh commended the government for its handling of the SoE and explaining its intentions, which she believes has alleviated initial anxiety.
She said some people may have developed unrealistic expectations about what would change/improve and stressed the spiralling crime did not happen overnight.
She said resolving it will require time, effort and collaboration between mental health professionals, government bodies, NGOs, and other organisations.
"Liming is a significant part of our identity, so for some, the high crime rate means extra precautions in their daily routines."
She said as a result, there is an increase in the sale of security systems – cameras and alarms – as people try to protect themselves.
Siewnarine-Geelalsingh believes the SoE has played a significant role in addressing crime and argues that without the development and implementation of policies and programmes by various relevant ministries and stakeholders, it will not have lasting success.
"It's like placing a brick to hold back a flood."
She said criminal activity is not defined by the individuals who engage in it, but by a mindset and lifestyle that is passed down through family and community structures.
Siewnarine-Geelalsingh said the feedback she has received in both professional and personal settings does not seem to indicate the public's perception of safety has changed significantly.
She believes public trust in law enforcement has decreased over time, partly due to reports of police involvement in criminal activities and the media’s portrayal of crime statistics.
The last survey done by the Police Service Commission showed public confidence at a staggering eight per cent in the police service.
"The media often focuses on highlighting the failures of law enforcement, which can overshadow their successes," she said.
Regarding the presence of the army and police in neighbourhoods during the SoE, she said some communities welcomed it as a form of protection, while others may feel it invaded their privacy and created unnecessary unease.
Siewnarine-Geelalsingh said she has observed an increase in post-traumatic cases related to victims of crime and a rise in anxiety and fear among people who worry they may be targeted. She commended officers for their work.
On the topic of public expectations, she said, "It’s important to manage these expectations and contribute to crime prevention in our own ways. Simple actions, such as teaching children how to manage their emotions, take turns, express negative feelings safely, and avoid dishonesty, can help address the root causes of criminal behaviour and reduce its perpetuation."
In conclusion, Siewnarine-Geelalsingh stressed an SoE, in isolation, was unlikely to bring about a desired change by itself, and for it to have lasting success, she reiterated, it must be part of a broader, comprehensive strategy.
She said without complementary measures, the public would lose trust in both the government and law enforcement.
"If these feelings are left unaddressed, they could trigger depressive symptoms and maladaptive coping mechanisms."
No change in hot-spot communities
Counselling psychologist Sule Joseph shared his views as they relate to the high-risk communities he works with – communities he refers to as "high-love."
These areas, Morvant, Laventille, Tunapuna and Port of Spain East and North, are directly affected by the SoE.
He emphasised he was not a security or defence expert and was only commenting from his professional perspective.
Based on observations and the feedback, Joseph said for many residents, the SoE had not significantly affected their daily lives.
"It's business as usual."
Acknowledging an increased presence of police and army and roadblocks, Joseph said it is difficult to determine if the uptick was due to the SoE or the usual increase in security ahead of the Carnival season.
Residents whom he spoke to were not aware of the key aspect of the SoE, which grants broader powers to law enforcement, including the ability to search homes without a warrant and arrest without bail, he said.
"They said it was uncommon for officers to present warrants when entering their homes or conducting their duties. So, the absence of warrants during the SoE brings no change to them."
He said survival remains the main concern for residents in targeted communities. Joseph said shootings continue to occur, and residents still live under the authority of local figures they regard as community leaders, or "the boss."
"Their issues persist, and a sense of insecurity remains."
Joseph said different segments of society experience the SoE in different ways, and its impact was not uniform across social classes.
He categorised society into three groups: the bourgeoisie (upper class), middle class, and working class, whom he says are often referred to as poor people.
The upper class, primarily business owners, he said, may view the SoE as a necessary measure to curb crime, as it directly affects their livelihoods.
The middle class may be more aware of its specifics and also view it positively, hoping it will lead to improved security.
However, the working class in neighbourhoods targeted by the SoE believes little has changed for them.
Joseph said for them it was a "show" designed to "placate the elites," without addressing the root causes of crime.
"These individuals still have to dodge bullets and continue navigating life under the same threats."
Joseph concluded by stressing that marginalised communities have a deep-rooted mistrust of law enforcement, and the broader public may be unaware of the SoE's impact.
"There may be concerns about potential abuse of power and harassment in high love (risk) communities. For them, there is a legitimate fear their struggles will only worsen under such expanded powers."
Curfew needed during SoE
Former commissioner of police (CoP) Stephen Williams called the SoE extremely necessary, saying violent criminals were operating with impunity across all parts of the country, leading to a record-high murder rate of 624, last year.
He said, "The SoE should be accompanied by the declaration of a curfew, as a curfew provides an immediate restrictive impact on all citizens, including violent criminals. With it, even if no one is immediately arrested, violent crimes will immediately drop."
The government's rationale for not imposing a curfew was that police were targeting known gang offenders in specific communities and the impact of restricting movement would cripple thousands of small and medium-sized businesses which thrived after hours.
Williams said police are not responsible for policy decisions and cannot impose a curfew but merely implement policies of the government. He said the SoE results will depend on how effectively the police and army use the powers granted to them.
"Based on the public statements and media briefings provided by executive officers of the TTPS, I would say there has been a level of success from the work of law enforcement up to this point. I think citizens are looking forward to even more success, especially in arresting and charging gang members for gang-related offences and seizing illegal firearms."
Williams said the public must see this period as the ideal time to give the police information anonymously, which would help in seizing illegal guns and locating people responsible for the intolerable levels of violence.
"I know the daily demands on police are extremely high and, at times, seemingly unreasonable. However, we depend on our officers to stay strong and focus on the task ahead. I expect the police service to use this period to gather information and intelligence that will aid in the future, which will be used to control crime."
He urged citizens to understand that inaction would allow criminals to be successful.
"Let us unite in communities and cooperate with the police service to drive the few violent criminals out of all our communities."
SoE not a crime-fighting tool
Former CoP Gary Griffith, now political leader of the National Transformation Alliance, acknowledged since its implementation, it has led to a reduction in murders "to some extent.”
“If the sole purpose was to reduce murders, we are seeing the results."
But Griffith said the SoE was not a crime-fighting tool.
"Every single thing being done now, the police could have done without the SoE. This was laziness on the part of the police hierarchy. Everything being done now – intensified patrols, operations, use of the defence force and targeting criminal elements – could have been done without an SoE."
He said there is no real difference between what is happening now and what could have been done before, except under the SoE, authorities can apprehend people indefinitely and enter homes without a warrant.
"It’s not the SoE that is reducing murders, but the intensified police visibility. The hierarchy of the police was in a slumber, and it took the SoE to wake them up."
However, Griffith expressed concerns about the underutilisation of the defence force.
"We have 5,000 members of the defence force: 500 are in the Air Guard with no aircraft, over 1,200 (Coast Guard officers) are in Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas with very few vessels, and 3,000 are in the army. Yet only a token presence is being used to support the police. Each and every one of them should be out there on the streets supporting the police."
Griffith said the SoE may reduce murders but contends citizens are still feeling unsafe because they aren’t seeing a heightened presence of law enforcement.
"The Prime Minister expressed major concern about the police. He said the police are not being seen as effective, especially when it comes to the long time it takes for a distress call to be answered."
On January 25, during an address to PNM members at the party’s 69th-anniversary celebrations at NAPA, Dr Rowley criticised the police's approach to policing.
"Those who are given the onerous responsibility to treat with the criminal element, productivity on their part is a challenge for us too."
After sharing a brief story about what he deemed effective policing, where a suspect was frog-marched from Moriah to Scarborough, he said, "That’s how police used to work. They didn’t tell you they didn’t have resources."
Additionally, on January 13, during the debate to extend the SoE, Rowley told Parliament that some police officers were pretending to close stations to hide from criminals. His comment brought a quick rebuff from Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher who defended her officers as having "consistently discharged their duty and maintained the standard of bravery and professionalism that is required."
Griffith criticised the police for its response time, saying it should not take more than five minutes to respond to distress calls. "There are 7,000 police officers and 1,700 vehicles."
He argued that increased roadblocks would not make people feel safer and proposed a continued increased visibility of police after the SoE.
"If the perception and fear of crime are not being addressed, then the SoE cannot be considered successful. Once the SoE is lifted, crime will likely rise again if the visibility and effectiveness of the police are not restored, and that is not what we want."
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"After first month of SoE, murders down but fear of crime still high"