Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 19/Nov 05:18

Why public no longer trusts police

THE EDITOR: I write today out of genuine concern for the safety and dignity of the citizens of TT. At this point, too many of us do not trust the police, and every crack in the system leads back to the leadership responsible for fixing it, including Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander. Alexander holds one of the most critical portfolios in the country. Yet the gap between his public assurances and the daily reality on the streets continues to widen. Crime worsens, communities live in fear, and the public is left sifting through announcements instead of seeing action. Empty assurances with minimal visible progress Upon assuming office, the minister described the police service as lacking direction, vision, and structure. Yet months later, citizens still wait for genuine reform. “Visible measures coming soon” has become a refrain, but soon is not saving lives. Crime does not pause for political timelines. Resource shortages, misaligned priorities It is publicly acknowledged that officers lack basic tools: patrol vehicles, communication systems, protective gear, and functioning equipment. Prioritising body armour before body-worn cameras shows a system more concerned with image than accountability. In 2025, TT cannot operate a modern police service with outdated tools and outdated thinking. Leadership vacuum inside police service Alexander’s comment – “No CoP, no problem” – could not be more disconnected from public reality. The absence of a substantive commissioner is absolutely a problem. A police service without steady leadership is a ship without a captain, drifting in storm waters. Dangerous gap between rhetoric and results The public continues to hear plans, initiatives, strategies, yet its daily experience remains unchanged. Daylight murders, gun violence, robberies and gang activity show no signs of slowing. TT does not need more talk; it needs execution, accountability, and measurable progress. Critical failure no one wants to admit: training This is one of the police service’s greatest weaknesses, and it is costing lives. Officers are not being trained adequately, and the results are visible every single day. They need structured, professional training in: Mental-health crisis response: Too many confrontations escalate because officers lack the knowledge to recognise the difference between a threat and a person in crisis. Domestic-violence intervention: Victims continue to slip through the cracks because officers respond without sensitivity, without understanding the dynamics of abuse, and without the urgency required. People skills and diplomacy: This is the foundation of policing communication, respect, listening, de-escalation. Too many officers speak to the public with hostility rather than professionalism. De-escalation techniques: An officer should know how to calm a situation, not ignite it. Training in conflict-resolution is not optional; it is essential. Community engagement and social awareness: Police must learn to build relationships, not fear. They are guardians, not rulers. Minister, these are not advanced skills – they are basic requirements for any modern police service. Yet the gaps are glaring. Proper training would prevent conflict, prevent escalation, and even prevent fatalities. And this highlights the issue the public keeps returning to: if the officers cannot even be trained to handle a routine civilian interaction with respect, how can the nation believe they are capable of handling complex crime? Internal misconduct continues to destroy credibility Nothing erodes public trust like misconduct inside the service that goes unaddressed. The public is painfully aware of the lingering question: If you cannot catch the “rat” inside the station stealing the cocaine, why should the nation believe you can catch criminals outside? This is not a joke – it is a symbol of the rot that citizens see and fear. Alexander was chosen because of his policing background and his promise to bring discipline, reform, and credibility. Leadership, however, is proven through action – not media appearances and promises. TT is tired. We are tired of fear, tired of excuses, tired of waiting for improvement that never arrives. It is time for leadership, time for competence, and time for real reform. After all, minister – if you still have not caught the rat in the police station stealing the cocaine, how can the public trust anything else you say? TONY M RAMJEWAN via e-mail The post Why public no longer trusts police appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.