There had been some ambiguity about the areas affected. However the top cop clarified that when reporters raised the issue with him in Arima where he was attending the sod turning ceremony for a new police station.
Curfew restrictions went into effect in four regional corporations and two cities on Monday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., under an order signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams. Williams was acting as CoP at the time while Gibbs was on official police business in Brazil.
According to Gibbs, "the curfew extends throughout Trinidad and Tobago under the state of emergency. We are more heavily focused on certain areas."
He added, "I will ask again that all citizens obey the curfew, all citizens follow the directions of the police officers and the law enforcement officials when they are in their areas".
Gibbs also gave the assurance that he would tolerate the use of excessive force by members of the protective services.
"One of the things we have been looking at is that we have been given special powers of arrest, seizure and search because of the state of emergency...this doesn't provide any type of opportunity for abuse to citizens. That won't be tolerated.
"But we are asking the cooperation of all the citizens that when we come into their homes, their offices, when we are dealing with them to basically listen to what we ask and cooperate and that way it prevents any type of misinterpretation and allows us to do the job that we need to do without people getting hurt, people getting their property damaged," Gibbs said.
Gibbs is satisfied with the results so far.
"We have had some good gains in terms of the arrest of some people that would have been picked up, are definitely people of some interest for the police and its our intent to start breaking down and displacing the different gangs and the different organised pieces," Gibbs said.
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