10% reduction in serious crime in T&T: Sandy

Serious crime is down by 10 per cent in Trinidad and Tobago, National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy told Parliament Friday.

And he announced that the People's Partnership government will implement several new crime-fighting initiatives in 2011 to further reduce crime. “Our intention is to reduce crime and the fear of crime,” Sandy declared.

Sandy listed six new crime-fighting initiatives to be implemented this year:

• installation of surveillance bays with police officers along the Uriah Butler Highway 
• installation of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in every police vehicle and linking of every police station with an appropriate technology platform
• more frequent deployment of joint operations using land and sea assets
• a National Recognition Programme to be developed to honour officers who go beyond the call of duty
• establishment of a National Security Operations Centre (NSOC) to co-ordinate various activities. The centre will be a dedicated platform from which the protectives services will launch joint operations and the exchange of intelligence/information
• Father’s Day "bring your son" event

Sandy also informed legislators that Cabinet has agreed to merge the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) and the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA). 

He also announced that a Private Security Network Commission was established last October to “enhance public safety and security in T&T.” The chairman of that commission is the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), he said.

Sandy said the commission, which will include more than 20,000 additional people in the fight against crime, is being implemented on a phased basis. A pilot project has been started in the Western Port-of-Spain Division and the Morvant police districts because of the high level of crime in those communities, he explained. 

The minister also said the police service expects to train 800 police officers annually. He also said 150 traffic wardens will soon begin a three-week training programme.

Sandy said other measures to fight crime include:

• CCTV surveillance systems at new locations between Crown Point Airport and the Scarborough port
• Additional CCTVs at existing locations in Trinidad
• SMS texting to police

The minister pledged that the People’s Partnership Government “will do everything in its power to ensure that the crime rate is reduced so that citizens can enjoy their constitutional right to safety and security.”