2,167 arrested since SoE began; Police warn nightclub owners of risks in holding 'curfew parties'

ASP Joanne Archie

The latest tally shows that 2,167 persons have been arrested since Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced a State of Emergency, 447 of them in connection with gang-related offences.

Public information officer of the Police Service, ASP Joanne Archie, gave the details at Thursday's media briefing.

The number includes 62 arrests made in the 24 hour period ending at 8 am Thursday. Half of them - 30 - are being held on drug related offences and 18 on outstanding warrants.

She also reiterated that the government added new areas for curfew restrictions based on data supplied by the Crime and Problem Analysis (CAPA) Branch.

"We review our crime data from time to time and this is what we use in determining whether an area is a hot spot," Archie said. 

She added, "What we have seen is a displacement in crime since the state of emergency. As the Police Service continues to review what our data tells us, we come up with strategies and operational tactics to deal with those data as we get them."Archie also announced a crackdown on nightclub owners who have been staging curfew parties.

Some bar and nightclub owners have been staging curfew parties with patrons locked inside their premises until the end of the curfew.

Archie stated that such practices pose serious health and safety risks since people are restricted to small space for long hours. The curfew begins at 11 pm and ends at 4 in the morning, meaning that the "lockup" for persons at these curfew parties would be at least six hours.

Archie said where such parties are in curfew areas, anyone who leaves during the curfew hours is liable to be arrested. She also noted the risk in case of an emergency that requires the evacuation of a building.

Archie said, "In the case of an emergency...to get access maybe to some emergency assistance, you will be venturing onto the street and thereby will be breaching the curfew and will be subject to arrest."

Many nightclub owners have complained about huge losses as a result of the curfew, although some of them are very supportive of the government's measures to deal with crime.