- NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 21/Jun 17:50

CoP issue warning to criminals after prison officer gun attack

COMMISSIONER of Police Allister Guevarro has issued a warning to criminals who target law enforcement officers after a prison officer was shot repeatedly during an attack near Piarco Plaza on June 20. In a statement on June 21, Guevarro, who took over the reins of the police service on June 17, said, “Let me be clear; an attack on one of us in law enforcement is an attack on all of us.” “To all criminal elements, I urge you to desist now. This path you are on leads to only one end, and it is one that will not be in your favour. The TTPS will not retreat and we will not relent. We will preserve peace and protect the lives of our citizens.” Addressing his officers he said, “I stand with you, shoulder to shoulder. I know firsthand the burden of walking into danger. I, too, have faced the fire of a weapon drawn in hostility, and I’ve had to defend myself and others. So when I speak of courage and sacrifice, I do so from a place of lived experience and deep respect. Guevarro urged officers to remain vigilant and united. Prison officer Govindra Balgobin was attacked near Piarco Plaza, shortly after 10 pm, moments after he completed his shift at the Maximum Security Prison. Guevarro described the attack as “a reprehensible act of violence.” The commissioner confirmed that the officer remains hospitalised. Two suspects involved in the shooting were injured after the getaway car crashed on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway, near Trincity. Guevarro said police acted swiftly after the officer was shot. On the night of June 20, he said senior officers convened and approved a range of operational measures to protect prison officers under threat. “We are taking this matter with the utmost seriousness,” he said. The commissioner said police officers have made brave and relentless efforts since Wednesday night, “engaging in a series of high impact strategic operations across TT.” These exercises have led to several arrests, the seizure of illegal firearms and narcotics, detection as well as deterrence of traffic violations. Guevarro said, “As the weekend moves along, I will continue to visit various stations and officers on duty to offer encouragement and solidarity to our dedicated frontline personnel.“ Police officers, he said, came under fire in Laventille from a man armed with a rifle this weekend. The suspect is now in custody after receiving medical treatment. “Let this stand as a stern warning: anyone who chooses to confront law enforcement officers with violence will be met with proportionate and lawful force,” he said. The post CoP issue warning to criminals after prison officer gun attack appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.