Army: Special Crime Unit legal

THE SPECIAL Anti-Crime Unit of Trinidad and Tobago has been legally established and the TT Defence Force (TTDF) has no problems with it.  Addressing a news conference at the Ministry of National Security’s Port-of-Spain headquarters on Monday, TTDF Chief of Staff Brigadier Ancil Antoine declared: “The Prime Minister in his budget presentation on October 6, 2003 announced the creation of the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TT.  “In accordance with Section Five of the Defence Force Act 14:01 a military unit will be created and assigned for duty to work in conjunction with the members of the Police Service under the ambit of the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TT. The Unit will operate using established rules of engagement authorised by the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commissioner of Police, to preserve the rule of law and uphold the Constitution and laws of our Republic.”

The Opposition UNC and former Attorney General Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj have questioned the legality of the Unit, while Prime Minister Patrick Manning said the Unit could be formed under legislation covering the Special Reserve Police Service and the Joint Operational Central Command. Speaking at the same news conference, National Security Minister Martin Joseph said units from the Police Service and TTDF “are being constituted under the authority of his Excellency the President of the Republic of TT and the Minister of National Security as provided by the Defence Force Act and the Police Service Regulations” and will be brought under the umbrella organisation of the Special Anti-Crime Unit of TT. Joseph said the Unit will focus on “crimes of national security significance” such as kidnaping, extortion, organised crime and terrorism.