PORT OF SPAIN – The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) says it will commence polygraph testing of all regular and special police officers as part of the “transformational policing for greater accountability” within the service.
The TTPS said that the polygraph testing will be conducting across all divisions “and is not limited to stations along the south western peninsula”.
Media reports said that several police officers in the south west peninsula were seeking legal advice to prevent them having to undergo the tests.
The TTPS statement quotes Police Commissioner Gary Griffith as saying that the vast majority of officers assigned to the south western peninsula have been doing their jobs commendable.
“However, a few officers because of their involvement with criminal activity, are permitting the entry of illegal drugs, guns, and human trafficking from the mainland, are making it difficult for the majority of hardworking police officers in that division to be successful,” the statement noted.
It said that last year, the south western division recorded the fourth lowest number of serious crimes among all policing divisions and at the end of June this year it has also recorded the fourth lowest number of serious reported crimes and the second highest overall detection rate.
“Polygraph testing is not an avenue to target guilt, but is used by many law enforcement agencies worldwide as a barometer to assist in ensuring that there are no breaches in sensitive areas.”
Griffith said that every police officer was willing to be polygraphed and drug tested prior to entering the service and that he sees no reason for an officer to be reluctant “unless the officer’s ethics have changed”.
“If in fact this is so,” Griffith says, he does not want them in the Police Service.
He said he will be the first officer to take the polygraph and also be drug tested. (CMC)
