CoP: Wining on officers not an offence

He was speaking with Sunday Newsday yesterday following the Western Division Interfaith Service held at The Church of the Nativity, Diego Martin.

Williams was asked about the perennial problem of masqueraders and other patrons gyrating on police officers during the Carnival season. The Police Service has issued a release advising citizens to desist from the practice.

Yesterday Williams said the service has never taken it as an offence. “Police officers recognise it is part of the culture and people seek to take advantage of it. We try to ask them to desist but we have never taken it as offence. So you work around that for the season,” he said.

He explained they try to ask masqueraders to desist so the officers can perform their duty “free of that” but “we balance the event and we try to be as accommodating as possible and police the land so that the Carnival period can run smoothly”.

On preparations for the Carnival weekend, Williams reported the police have done “extensive preparations”.

He reported that ACP Dulalchan is the gold commander and the alternate gold commander is ACP Richardson.

He further reported that as of last Friday they briefed National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and he is satisfied with the plans.

He said that either tomorrow evening or Tuesday, Dulalchan will hold a media conference and share with the media houses the details of the plan.

“So we are comfortable that we put together a good plan but the plan will only be tested by its implementation.

And we have all the other services supporting us and we are looking for a lovely period of Carnival and a safe one,” he added.