Marlene: Bring back Repeat Offenders Programme

Noting that programme was disbanded a few years ago, McDonald said, “A simple check would reveal that the programme was critical to areas like East Port-of-Spain.” In brief remarks at the opening of the multimillion dollar Besson Street Police Station, construction of which began under the People’s Partnership government, McDonald said that the programme was responsible for identifying street gangs, their membership base and the turf in which they operated.

Asked to comment on McDonald’s call, Williams, who was not present at the time of McDonald’s address, initially said that he did not want to comment.

When asked if he thinks that the ROP should be reintroduced, he said, “it is a very good initiative, but at this point in time I would wait until I listen to what was said by the Member of Parliament before commenting further.” Asked why the programme was stopped in the first place, Williams said, “It had to do with a series of serious allegations of kidnapping and murder made against the officers who served in the programme.

Noting that she would like to see better relationships between law enforcement and law abiding citizens, McDonald said, “If that is done, trust and confidence will be developed because residents will know that there is always a police presence that is visible and not hostile to them.” She suggested that the police, which runs a number of police youth clubs, look at the activities of the Hearts and Minds programme of the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF). Referring to some of the activities in Laventille West and Beverly Hills, she said, the officers of the IATF have more or less integrated themselves with youths in the area and, as a result, the youths trust them.

She said there were also honest and law abiding citizens living in East Port-of-Spain.

Tracing her roots to East Dry River, McDonald recalled that the Besson Street Police Station was moved to Piccadilly Street sometime after the 1990 insurrection.

Yesterday’s event, which was formally commissioned by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, she said, “is nostalgic because Besson Street Police station, after some 26 years, has returned to its original location.

I welcome this move.”