Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith on Wednesday met with the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Her Excellency Harriet Cross and the UNLIREC Senior Policy Advisor, Jason Francis at the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Police Administration Building, Port of Spain.
The United Nations Regional centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean will be introducing four new activities between January and March 2021 in the areas of forensic and ballistic training. Discussions centred on the next phase of technical assistance to the TTPS within the context of reducing the illicit proliferation of firearms and ammunition as outlined in the Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions Plan.
High Commissioner Cross said her presence at the meeting was an indication of the importance of this programme and said that she has noted the advancements of the TTPS under Commissioner Griffith’s leadership during her short time in Trinidad and Tobago.
The four new areas to be introduced will be, an Inter-Institutional Roundtable meeting, a National Tracing and Serial Number Restoration Workshop, a Forensic Ballistic Intelligence Course and a Pilot study to enhance the timely generation of Ballistic Intelligence.
Commissioner Griffith commented that these projects were in line with his strategies and expressed his desire to establish a forensic facility exclusively for the TTPS.
This facility would be able to perform DNA tests and use available advance technology that would assist in solving crimes and bringing perpetrators to justice in a more expedient manner. The TTPS introduced a programme at the Police Academy in June 2020 to train officers in the area of ballistics, these officers are due to graduate shortly.
High Commissioner Cross was accompanied by Justice and Security Policy Officer/CSSF Regional Programme Officer Maia Hibben. Also in attendance were Deputy Commissioner of Police, McDonald Jacob, Inspector Mitchell of the Special Evidence Unit, Head Executive Management Services (TTPS), Mr Sheldon Edghill and Ms Analisa Low, International Affairs Officer, Ministry of National Security.
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