‘I want results’ Minister Dillon summons Ag CoP, Divisional Commanders

Up until yesterday, the murder toll was 394 for the year so far, compared to 365 for the same period last year. Yesterday Dillon told Newsday that he was especially concerned about the triple murder in the D’Abadie area this past Saturday afternoon, which also left two persons injured.

According to Dillon, his ministry continues to provide the necessary support to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and other security agencies in the fight against crime but he feels that more could be done to address the number of homicides in the country that are being committed with illegal arms and ammunition. Dillon said the TTPS is doing “a fantastic job” in removing illegal arms and ammunition from the streets but those still ‘outside’ are being used to commit murders and other crimes. He added that the TT Coast Guard will continue to provide the necessary support to help tackle the smuggling of these illegal items into the country. Dillon yesterday issued a call to the public to partner with the TTPS, to be so that information could be filtered and acted upon swiftly to deal with crime.

At today’s meeting, the National Security Minister intends to ask the Acting CoP and the northern and central divisional commanders to come up with new strategies to deal with the spate of murders.

Dillon told Newsday the TTPS must “step up their game” to bring the number of murders down, not only in these two divisions, but also across the seven other divisions. “I want results,” Dillon declared. “I want the public to feel a sense of safety and security. I want lives to be saved. I want the criminal elements to put down their guns. I want persons involved in crime to move away from that lifestyle and return TT to a place where persons could feel safe and without the fear of crime,” Dillon stated.

The minister also told Newsday he was in full support of the move by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to take a personal interest in the community policing programme of the TTPS, adding that Government will continue to put all resources in place to reclaim the society from the hands of criminal elements.