Joint Army/Police patrols soon in major towns

Joint army/police patrols are expected to be on the streets by the end of the week in major districts — Port-of-Spain, San Fernando, Princes Town, Arima, Sangre Grande and certain parts of the East/West Corridor.

This is part of the new arrangement to deal with the escalating crime situation. One of the challenges, official sources stated, was the question of sustainability and whether the police had the manpower to sustain some of the plans which are to be put in place. The source said the army was not the problem, but that the army could do nothing unless the police are assigned to work with them. The National Security Ministry is now trying to work out the logistics of the number of police which would work with the army. The Ministry is also analysing the manpower base of the Police Service in light of the need to put police in and around the nation’s schools. The source stated that the special crime unit under Brigadier Peter Joseph is currently being put in place.