SAUTT will be dismantled on August 31 and its officers will be absorbed within the protective services.
National Security Minister Brig. John Sandy made the announcement Thursday at the post cabinet media briefing.
Sandy said the Manning PNM administration created the illegal force as a parallel unit because it was felt that many officers in the existing police service were involved in corruption.
The new government's plan is for SAUTT to cease operations and send all its members back to the various agencies from which they originally came. That is expected to happen from September 1, 2011 at salaries they were earning before being appointed to the elite unit.
Part of the perks they received in SAUTT was a tax-free allowance of $5,000. "Upon reallocation to their parent unit that $5,000 would stop," Sandy said.
He said personnel from outside the protective service who were involved in training in investigative analysis at SAUTT would also be absorbed "in the national security environment."
He also told reporters government plans to sell the police blimp and move all its photographic instruments to the police helicopter service.
Sandy said although SAUTT was always illegal there were some positives in its operations, including the canine and helicopter units as well as the intelligence analysis and the training elements.
The minister also announced that the steering committee headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams also recommended:
- the establishment of a single National Security Intelligence Agency from September
- that all communication and interception technology should be located at that agency
- Assignment of the Financial Investigative branch of SAUTT to the Investigative Unit of the Ministry of Finance
- Establishment of a National Security Training Academy under the direction of the National Security Ministry and the Ministry of Tertiary Education
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