Ex-NOC director: Police can build on 2025 SoE gains

WHEN the government declared a state of emergency (SoE) late last year, the public reaction was mixed but mostly hopeful. But was it enough?

Former executive director of the National Operations Centre and regional security expert Garvin Heerah believes the SoE served an important but limited purpose.

Speaking to Newsday, Heerah described the recent SoE as a critical moment of intervention that brought about notable outcomes in the national fight against crime, particularly in reducing homicides.

“The assertive, multi-pronged strategy implemented by the TT Police Service (TTPS), in conjunction with the broader national security architecture, demonstrated the tangible benefits of cohesive operational planning and tactical visibility.”

He said one of the most significant successes was the increased sense of safety and security reported by many within the business community. He said the TTPS’s focused operations against extortion and criminal intimidation were met with strong approval from business chambers and entrepreneurs, and signaled a much-needed show of strength by law enforcement.

“This proactive stance sent a clear message to criminal elements and offered a temporary yet meaningful reprieve to entrepreneurs and retail operators under constant threat.”

Still, the SoE, as with previous ones, brought limitations that could not be overlooked.

“From an economic standpoint, all three SoEs had a notable impact on business operations. The enforced curfews and movement restrictions (in 2011 and 2021) disrupted commerce, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, many of which were unable to sustain losses associated with prolonged closures.”

Also, criminal networks adapted quickly in response to the restrictions. Although drive-by shootings and gang-related violence were reduced, they did not disappear.

Heerah pointed to the strategic displacement of alleged criminal figures, many of whom appeared to hide or leave the country.

“Intelligence pointed to several going into deliberate hiding, adopting low profiles, and, in some instances, leaving the jurisdiction altogether – some reportedly to foreign destinations. This development raises a critical question that must now be addressed: Were there operational compromises or intelligence leaks that facilitated these evasive manoeuvres?”

He warned that these suspected compromises should be taken seriously as national security agencies conducted their post-SoE reviews, as the integrity of operations hinged on rooting out possible breaches and restoring public trust.

“As the TTPS and the ministry of national security (now the ministries of homeland security and defence) conduct their after-action reviews and performance evaluations, it is imperative that these vulnerabilities be assessed and mitigated. The possibility of internal compromise demands a rigorous and transparent examination.”

Yet, Heerah was quick to commend the TTPS for managing high-risk operations during Carnival.

“The ability to facilitate such a major national event without significant security breakdowns speaks to the growing institutional maturity and capability of our law enforcement agencies.”

He believed the temporary gains of the SoE should serve as the foundation for long-term transformation, and the first step was maintaining momentum.

“Moving forward, the continuation of targeted policing strategies, intelligence-led operations, and surgical strikes is not merely advisable – it is essential. Criminal deterrence must be sustained beyond the SoE period to secure long-term stability and public trust.”

He said the SoE proved what is possible “when there is strong leadership, coordination, and resolve,” but warned that the next step requires more than enforcement.

“It is now incumbent upon all stakeholders to build on this foundation with vigilance, integrity, and a commitment to long-term transformation.”

Heerah: Criminals lie low then resurface after SoEs

Reflecting on the pattern of past SoEs, Heerah said, as far as he noticed, while each of the last three had a measurable effect on crime, they also revealed the resilience and resourcefulness of criminal networks. During those times, many criminals reportedly took up residence in upscale accommodations, choosing to lie low and wait out the period of restrictions.

“Rather than being dismantled, many criminal elements sought refuge in upscale accommodations – including hotels and luxury villas – strategically opting to ‘weather the storm’ until the SoEs ended, only to regroup thereafter.”

He told Newsday during the process of research and information gathering as a regional security consultant, confidential sources revealed many known gang leaders, especially those who had the funding and resources to afford it, were doing this.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one hotel owner said he had heard rumours of such activities during the pandemic SoE in 2021, but at the homes of private citizens who rented out their houses or apartments as legitimate properties had restrictions and the government used some as quarantines.

“The problem in this country is we don’t have a national standard so people loosely use the words hotel and villa. They are not all registered businesses that function as a hotel that rents per night.

“From what I gathered there were people who stayed in places like The Towers (in Westmoorings) and those types of upmarket places, which are not really hotel accommodations, for a couple months.”

He did not hear about anything similar happening during the 2024/2025 SoE but said he would not be surprised if it did.

“But there’s no illegality in that really, once you’re paying the rate and not running anything illegal from the space. Nothing is stopping anyone from staying at a hotel for three weeks for any reason.”

Heerah said it underscored the need for more dynamic responses as emergency powers failed to dismantle entrenched criminal networks.

He proposed several alternatives to future states of emergency, measures that aim to achieve crime suppression while preserving democratic freedoms and economic stability.

These measures include adopting a zero-tolerance approach through uniform and consistent law enforcement; targeted policing, with surgical interventions in high-risk areas; and establishing a national command center to co-ordinate joint operations, powered by centralised intelligence and real-time decision-making.

He also stressed the importance of rooting out corruption within law enforcement.

“Corruption within the ranks of law enforcement undermines public trust and compromises operations. It is essential to identify, investigate, and remove rogue elements without delay, reinforcing internal discipline and operational integrity.”

He said the goal was not simply to suppress crime during emergencies but to “dismantle criminal structures with long-term, intelligence-driven policies and professional enforcement.”

Former commissioner of police Stephen Williams agreed, describing an SoE as a temporary measure.

“An SoE is not the best way to curb criminal activity as it is not a policing or crime-control strategy because it does not have a lasting effect. It’s an artificial intervention because the situation would return to a similar condition once it was removed.”

He added that even when SoEs were declared, their effectiveness hinged on imposing a curfew because, without one, criminals continued to operate.

“Curfews are what restrict people’s movement, which has a direct impact on a criminal’s availability. If you think about it, a criminal has the journey from wherever he’s located to get to a target, whether the target is short distance or long distance, he has the journey to get there and he has journey through the public space on major or minor roads.”

“Curfews restrict movement in the public space when there is an SoE, so you have an immediate impact just by the mere existence of a curfew. If a criminal cannot move, what happens is that he’s restricted from going to commit the crime. He wouldn’t commit the crime at home.”

Williams: Citizens have role in security, too

But when asked about alternative strategies the police could use Williams said people put too much emphasis on what the responsibilities of the police, and not enough on those of citizens. He believed lasting results required something more holistic, a societal shift in how the country confronts crime at all levels.

“It takes a comprehensive plan of action, including a clear focus on what I describe as the social control factors. And those social control factors involve the family. It involves the church. It involves the school. It involves the community.

“The facility of policing and law enforcement, that’s only one social control factor and it has an important role, but in TT we focus on that as if that’s the sole factor.”

Williams said there was no quick fix or magic formula unless the government took undemocratic measures like detaining people without evidence or having to charge them.

He also pushed back on the public complaint that the police “know who the criminals are” but do nothing. He pointed out that the police were not the only ones who “know,” as the neighbours, friends and family of criminals also know.

“In every community, the people responsible for the violent crimes and gang activities are known. The issue is, how do you treat with them in a democratic society? And that is where having sufficient evidence to prosecute them comes in. That’s a different picture.”

Williams highlighted the role of the average citizen in the fight against crime, noting that police alone cannot resolve the issue. He stressed the importance of a cultural shift in how people view their role in national safety.

He said people want the problems to stop but they say they do not have confidence in the police and so refuse to share information. He said everyone had a role to play but most people did not see it that way.

He added that participation in crime prevention did not require becoming an informant. Simple personal precautions, referred to as “target hardening,” could reduce vulnerability.

One website described it as “strategies used to make potential targets of crime more difficult to access or attack, thereby deterring criminal activity.”

Williams said it included taking practical steps like closing your gate or avoiding risky habits such as leaving your vehicle unlocked and idling while you run to get something indoors.

“In a country like this, we would expect that the police service will play a critical role in addressing the crime situation. That is their full-time responsibility. But I’m saying while that is their full-time responsibility, in order for us to fix the problem effectively, it takes all of us contributing in some small way to make the difference.

“It’s about changing our thinking, so that you have a new culture of behaviour by the citizens of the country. It has to do with focusing on my responsibility in making sure that I am not a target for the criminals.”