T&T: Gov’t to spend millions on crime

National Security Minister Austin “Jack” Warner

Fri, August 17, 2012 - 2:05 PM

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Aug 17, CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government is to spend TT$289.6 million (One TT dollar = US$0.16 cents) on a new crime initiative that involves increasing the manpower of the law enforcement agencies, improved technology and providing more vehicles, National Security Minister Austin “Jack” Warner has said.

Warner told reporters that Cabinet at its regular meeting on Thursday agreed that TT$60 million would be spent on establishing a 5,000 Special Reserve Police officers (SRPs) in varying ranks to be determined in consultation with the acting Commissioner of Police. He said it is hoped that the SRPs would be deployed before Christmas.

The government will spend TT$5.1 million immediately to establish police community-support-group officers throughout the island and Warner said approximately 3,000 SRPs would be posted in the police community- support branch and would undergo specialised training "to work in non- confrontational areas and the aim is to address anti-social behaviour and disorder".

Warner said TT$164.5 million would be spent to acquire Information Technology solutions to aid in crime detection and would also see an improvement in the E999 rapid response system and that another TT$300 million spent to purchase some 300 vehicles for the police.

Warner said the United Nations disarmament office has agreed to help Trinidad and Tobago establish an integrated data system for the registration of small arms.

He said the process is currently undertaken and recorded manually and there was need to maintain accurate and comprehensive data as it relates to arms and ammunition.

Warner, who was appointed National Security Minister in June, again dismissed suggestions that he would outline the new crime plan to the country.

"I know all attempts have been made to jumbie me so to speak and to have me announce this prematurely. I will not be rushed into that," he said, adding “let me advise you once again, that you shall feel the effects of the plan, when the plan is implemented it shall be swift, it shall be surgical, it shall be clinical and this country shall begin a new era of safety”.

So far this year, more than 258 people have been murdered here.