DCP: More cops at malls, shopping areas for Christmas

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Junior Benjamin says the T&T Police Service (TTPS) will be deploying more officers at malls and other shopping areas during the busy Christmas season.

Responding to questions from reporters as he visited the Nelson Street Housing Development in East Port-of-Spain yesterday, he said national crime-fighting strategies had also been bearing fruit.

Saying 33 murders had been recorded for the month of November 2024, compared to 43 for the same period last year, Benjamin said, “This was the lowest for all the months so far, for the year.”

Benjamin said murders had been averaging around 50 or so per month for the year so far.

“We were able to hold that back a bit and we are hoping to maintain that ground as we head into the Christmas period.”

Referring to last month’s murder count, he said, “It means our plans are working. We are seeing some traction and again, we want to continue in that. I think the officers are very much motivated to go out there and push for a much better December.”

Commending all the divisional commanders for executing strategic plans, the DCP noted, “We are putting the necessary things in place to have the manpower, the human resource, all the things that are needed to ensure a safer and better Christmas season so persons can feel free and feel safe travelling and traversing the streets.”

Benjamin assured the public that the TTPS has not spared any effort to ensure their safety, especially following several fights that occurred at Trincity Mall and C3 Centre last week, along with a violent robbery outside the MovieTowne Complex at Invader’s Bay.

He said additional personnel had been assigned to canvass many of the public spaces in the run-up to Christmas, and that plans for each division were being reviewed with a focus on how they can be improved.

He said, “I can assure that from even today, you will see more police officers on the ground because we have the administration of Finance Branch coming on board to have more persons in the Port-of-Spain area.”

In addition, he said the inclusion of more detectives would ensure a heightened police presence in all divisions.

Pressed on the TTPS’s promise to address the root causes of crime by targeting the youth, Benjamin said one route was via the Police Youth Clubs in each division.

“That is something we are always going to be encouraging persons to do. We believe it is part of our crime prevention plan. We believe if we can really speak to the youths, we are saving a generation so we would encourage all parents to get their children involved in our youth clubs.”

Benjamin said the TTPS had been engaged in a concentrated and cohesive effort to get and keep crime under control. The DCP added their intelligence and proactive measures, which included walking the ground and talking to the people, had lent to fostering closer ties between the TTPS and the public.

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