Computer technology for police vehicles

On his first day as a Minister in the House, Fitzgerald Hinds rose to the challenge of his portfolio in National Security. As Hinds stood to answer a question, directed to the Minister of National Security, there was sustained table-thumping from the Government benches and an involuntary but collective “aah” from the Opposition bench. Hinds, who was appointed on Tuesday, did not  smile, but instead wore a stoic expression as he read the response to the question. He said the Ministry of National Security intended to introduce computer technology in the operation of police vehicles and particularly those in the Highway Division so that they can instantly retrieve data about motor vehicles and drivers using the roads in Trinidad and Tobago.

He said the Ministry intended to introduce the technology by February 2006, immediately after the Transport Division fully computerises its record on a wide area network. He said the Police Service must wait on the Licensing Division. He said the Ministry of Works and Transport anticipated that its records would be fully computerised in about 18 months time after the lawful award of the contract. Hinds noted that the Police Service already had a system in place whereby data is accessed on a bi-weekly basis from the Licensing Department. This information is stored in the Control Room of the Police Service. Highway patrol vehicles access this information from persons in the Control Room, he said.