Top cop: Majority of police honest

Williams yesterday addressed the weekly police press briefing at Police Administration Building in Port-of-Spain - his first address to the media since returning from extended three-month vacation.

Referring to a policeman appearing in court, also yesterday, to answer armed robbery charges, Williams said: “Instances like these will be the exception, and we will be doing everything possible to minimise the recurrence of events like the one I described. The TTPS will take a tough approach to any criminal conduct which is alleged against any police officer.” Williams lamented, “The public is vesting trust in the police service and we must do nothing to undermine that trust.

Clear, decisive and timely action will be taken in every case to remove what we can describe as rogue elements from the police service.” He indicated that SRP Sean Joseph appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates Court to answer counts of robbery with violence and possession of ammunition. Williams said the investigation continues with a clear intention of identifying, arresting and charging other persons involved in that robbery.

“As we focus on the issue of misconduct by way of that police officer, I also want to highlight that recently, we have been faced with a number of murders and the police service has identified that most of these murders are being committed in two Divisions...Northern Division and Central,” the top cop said, adding that recent administrative changes were made aimed at arresting homicide and other crimes in these two divisions.

“Those adjustments involved changing Divisional Commanders and providing additional resources to these divisions so we can in fact take full control of the challenges of crime in these two divisions.”