Police tell St Augustine residents: ‘Speak up against extortion, gang activity’

Police have called on the community of St Augustine to speak out against incidents of extortion and gang activity during an awareness meeting at the St Augustine South Community Centre on May 21.

People from Trainline Rd, Dookie Trace Extension, Freeman Road and other streets in the area gathered to discuss concerns surrounding crime and issues concerning the community.

Cpl Sasha Williams Goddard, second division officer of the community police noted the community’s concern over gang violence and extortion. Noting that gangs consider what they do “work,”

Goddard said organised gangs focus on extortion, using less organised groups to perpetrate offences surrounding extortion.

“One thing that people always say when we talk about extortion is the fear of speaking the fear of speaking out,” she said. “When we are silent the offenders feel empowered.”

She advised that if people feel afraid or feel distrustful of the police they should use the anonymous hotlines to give information on possible extortionists.

She informed the community members that a person who commits an offences under the anti-gang legislation, including extortion, is liable to conviction up to 25 years.

“That is 25 years of peace, if you speak out.”

“The fight is bigger than each one of us and we can only win if we do not remain silent.”

She cautioned community members to watch out for their children because they could be influenced by gangs and eventually end up in gang activity.

She said police have found that children as young as eight years old have been fully integrated in gangs.

She cited a list of situations, from incidents that may not be necessarily considered crimes, such as bullying or “taxing,” to harboring members of a gang and obstructing police in their duties, to protect gang members, saying these can all be tantamount to gang activity.

“Remember it is any group of people gathering for the purpose of committing an offence. So if he and his friends would go buy the cafeteria every day to tax the form ones $10, it is a gang.

“If every day he goes to school with $20 but comes home, with $50, where did the money come from?

“People will never say they may be harboring gang members but if you ask them some questions, you realise that they could potentially be committing an offence under section 11 of the anti-gang act and that they are potentially liable to imprisonment for 15 years or up to 25 years.”

“Then we come and grab you too and say, ‘Miss, these are bracelets that are here they are for you, can you come with us please.’

“Then you present yourself before magistrate or judge, you hear you got 15 years because you failed to do your duty or your due diligence to ensure that your home is not a space that is harboring a member of a gang.”

Goddard advised that there were interventions through the police youth club to steer them in the right direction. She said the police youth club has a range of activities under several pillars which include education, culture, environment, social, music and technical vocation.

“We have a wide range that we can use police clubs to engage different young people from different communities and different socio-economic backgrounds. There is no financial requirement to enter."

She said the police go to schools and communities to identify those most at risk and begin working with them in different areas.

The community event was organised by a partnership of the Salvation Army, civilian and the TTPS, through a group called Helping Hands.

Member Gerard Coutain said the organisation works out of senior superintendent’s Michael Pierre’s office. WPC Reann Nicholas Diaz, the founder of Helping Hands, came up with the idea to collaborate with organisations to engage in a softer side of policing through community outreach.