Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 09/Sep 18:45

DCP Benjamin: Police’s crime interventions working

DEPUTY Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin is lauding officers for reducing murders significantly. Speaking to reporters while visiting Success Laventille Secondary on September 8, the first day of the school term, Benjamin said the police’s crime-fighting interventions were having an effect. “We have 258 murders for the year compared to 435 last year,” Benjamin said. “That is a massive drop in terms of decline. Yes, we cannot just take these figures when there are still murders, but it means that the interventions that are taking place in TT are working for us tremendously, especially during the SoE.” He said after the SoE which is expected to be over in October, police will continue to be present and continue to utilise intelligence-led, evidence-based policing. “We are going to have different operations on a regular basis,” he said. “We are targeting the priority offenders, syndicates and gangs, who we believe are the ones causing this mayhem.” He said operations such as “Operation Summer Slam” which was conducted during the July-August vacation (JAVA) was one of the keys behind reducing the murder rate year-on-year for the month of August. “Summer Slam is where we actually used the major supporting sections within the various operations, the IATF, the GEB and the NOTF and we gave that support to the various divisions to have different operations ongoing so that we can have a show of force. “At the same time we saw a great reduction because the divisional commanders, I think they are more or less continuing that work of working with their communities and are able to target the right people and places and therefore you are seeing there the results of that hard work paying off.” He said while there had been eight murders for September so far (the same period last year had 19), it did not mean that murders would increase for the month. “Crime is not static, therefore you are going to see highs and lows,” he said. “I am not saying that we are satisfied. Every murder is one murder too many. Nevertheless we are seeing the work of the police pay off.” The post DCP Benjamin: Police’s crime interventions working appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.