Police celebrate 100 fewer murders for first 9 months

For the first time in the history of the police, there have been 100 fewer murders for the first nine months of the year, when compared to the figures for the previous year.

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith spoke about the achievement at Thursday's media briefing, saying this was a result of intelligence-led policing and a heightened trust and confidence in the police.

He said his aim was to reduce the overall number of murders at the close of this year by 150.

Last year, there were 539 murders, the second highest in the country's history.

Last month, Griffith said statistics for violent crimes such as murder, rape, kidnapping, armed robbery for the first eight months of the year showed decline in some instances of up to 25 per cent, but in many instances the detection rate had not improved significantly or at all.

He said on Thursday that the decline in violent crimes and particularly murders was "something positive for the country" and it meant "we are going on the right track."

He said while some critics would attribute the decline to the restrictions imposed for the covid19 pandemic, which went into force in mid-March, that was not borne out by the increase in crime in major North American cities. He said crime was a product of opportunity, and increased frustrations over job losses, the inability to exercise and play sport, could lead to more incidents of domestic violence and other offences but this was not the case in TT.

The commissioner said while the police took some credit for the dramatic decrease in murders, the use of technology, the maturity of the public, and improved relationships between the police and the public were bearing fruit.

"I am not stating that this country could ever get back to 150 murders, because of the easy access to drugs, illegal weapons, gang-related activity. But we can get back to the acceptable levels," he said. "To move from 530 to 330, that is a great achievement."

Acting DCP Jayson Forde credited improved traditional policing, scientific policing, the formation of homicide support unit, and effective management of case files as some methods which helped reduce the number of murders.

He said more witnesses were coming forward to put murderers behind bars.

Also, increased police patrols, partnerships with other departments including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the use of scientific evidence such as CCTV footage, other digital technologies, and the easier access to report criminal offences through the mobile police app were among the factors which contributed to the success.