‘We are the black sheep’

A representative of the 18 member squad, speaking under condition of anonymity, spoke about their litany of woes during an interview with Sunday Newsday yesterday.

Their most current issue is their recent relocation from the Vehicle Management Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (VMCOTT) compound on the Beetham Highway to a site at El Carmen, St Helena.

The spokesperson said the new site has a lot of rats and also pigeon droppings. He also said there is only one way in or out of the building which was a “total safety hazard”.

“The building is not really suitable for a police post at all,” he stressed. He said being located at VMCOTT was not 100 percent “but (it) was 100 percent better than here”. The spokesperson pointed out that the new accommodation is only one issue out of numerous issues.

He said they are working on a month to month verbal contract and are not allowed sick leave even those who have completed three years of service.

He explained they are not on par with Special Reserve Police (SRP) despite receiving threemonths training compared to six weeks. The man reported that some officers were attempting to move from PLS for the “greener pastures” of being a SRP but their efforts were being stymied.

Other issues include: officers receiving different salaries; not having radios and going into situations blindly; the firearms they have are no longer in use; ammunition is three years old and was never changed; and lack of personal protective equipment with some men borrowing bulletproof vests that are not their size. The spokesperson pointed out their duties are more than just praedial larceny as they police general offences such as marijuana, cocaine, arms and ammunition.

He also pointed out when praedial larceny takes place it is very rare that it is a case of a farmer robbing another, but it is usually a criminal involved in other illegal activities.

The spokesperson said Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat had been making efforts for the PLS to go under the Ministry of National Security where policing of praedial larceny had been done until 2013 when the previous administration set up a special squad. The spokesperson reported that whenever they make complaints they are victimised by their seniors and “we need somebody to hear our plight”. Attempts to contact Minister Rambharat yesterday were unsuccessful.