Four mobile police stations for local cops

Four custom-built mobile police stations purchased for a total of ?170,000 (TT$1.7M) will arrive in the country by the end of September.

The mobile stations, which are equipped with facilities such as  kitchenette,bathroom, interview room and storage facilities, will be handed over to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service when the vehicles arrive in the country. The units, which was purchased from the Canadian government, will be sent to four different communities which are in dire need of mobile posts. Officers based at those mobile units will be able to respond to crime much faster than those at police stations because the stations are on wheels. The units will service communities which are located far from police stations and in highcrime areas. The vehicles were purchased by the Vehicle Maintenance Corporation (VMCOTT) through the Permanent Secre-tary in the Ministry of National Security Trevor Percival. One of the units is expected to be placed in Laventille.

Yesterday, Minister of National Security Howard Chin Lee said that the units will provide rapid response in rural and urban areas. He added that the fully equipped self-contained vehicles will ensure that victims of crime in remote communities will have the eyes and ears of police officers based in those mobile units, and they will provide a better interface with members of the various communities where they are placed. According to Minister Chin Lee, he is certain that the mobile units will provide relief to those communities which have been clamouring for more police presence. ACP Crime Oswyn Allard reiterated the sentiments expressed by Minister Chin Lee that the mobile units will go a long way in assisting in the fight against crime. He added that the new police post at Lange Park, Chagu-anas, which was introduced on Monday, is reaping the desired results.