PM Kamla to revamp SAUTT, use ICT's to track criminals

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is downsizing and the Special Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (SAUTT) and changing its mandate as part of her government's plan to fight crime.

And she is harnessing new information communication technology (ICT) to hunt criminals.

Speaking in the debate on the budget, Persad-Bissessar made it clear that SAUTT has cost too much and has so far failed to curb crime.

"This Government can see that there is some value in SAUTT but it needs to be totally restructured because it's a powerful tool that can be used to reduce crime, but has failed to deliver based on improper utilisation of resources," Persad-Bissessar said.

"We will restructure the unit and downsize it to focus on two core functions. Right now it is all over the place, including tapping my cell phone, I understand, and yours," she said.

The two functions are training and information gathering.

The Prime Minister said the government will convert SAUTT will into a central intelligence unit, which will focus on gathering information on countering terrorism and other major criminal activities that affect the security of the nation and gather evidence to combat criminals.

"I am advised that there are several intelligences in this one small twin island republic, which keep the information secret and they do not work with each other.

"We propose that SAUTT will become the central point to have all the intelligence accumulated upon which the appropriate operational plan will be implemented," she said.

She said SAUTT officers will have the option to join the Police Service or Defence Force.

Persad-Bissessar also said SAUTT will be involved in training police officers. She added that SAUTT's training academy would focus not only on military training but ensure every law enforcement officer is trained in every aspect of fighting crime.

The academy, she explained, will train personnel for the Regiment, Coast Guard, Police Service, Prison Service, Fire Service and private security firms.

Persad-Bissessar also explained that greater care will be taken to protect citizens by ensuring that all officers who carry firearms undergo psychological evaluation and polygraph testing as part of the recruitment process.

She also spoke of the use of the Internet and other new technology in the fight against crime.

"It is our intention to bring information about criminals and criminal activities direct to you, wherever you are in the online world. A police presence will therefore be created on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, MSN, Twitter and Itunes," she said.

She said her plan includes an email alert service, syndicated news feeds and a series of podcasts and widgets to keep citizens informed on criminal activities and fugitives along with virtual billboards with mugshots of fugitives.

"It is my respectful view that we are under attack by criminals and so we must launch a counter-attack, united as one nation, we shall therefore bring the fight against crime into your laptops, into your cellphones, into your desktops, your Iphones and your blackberrys and so you will have the fugitives at your finger tips," she said.

She dismissed claims by the opposition PNM that the salary of the new Canadian Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs is too high, noting that the PNM administration spent $350 million a year on failed crime initiatives, including $100 million for 50 specially trained retired foreign officers at SAUTT.