Steps are being taken to ensure officers are being properly guided in the performance of their investigations.
This is the only comment that Police Commissioner Erla Christopher was willing to proffer on the missteps surrounding the Brent Thomas matter while addressing a Joint Select Committee Meeting on national Security.
Thomas, a legitimate firearms dealer, was taken from his hotel room in Barbados and forcibly returned to Trinidad to face gun charges.
High Court Judge Devindra Rampersad ruled the police actions to be tantamount to abduction.
Commissioner Christopher had little to say on the matter when it was raised by Committee Vice Chair, Dr Paul Richards.
He questioned whether the incident spoke to officers’ knowledge of proper processes and a need for training in that regard.
She insisted that the matter is being reviewed and suggested that steps are being taken to ensure officers always follow due process.
The Commissioner did reveal, however, that a written report on the Brent Thomas matter would be provided to the National Security Minister within the next two weeks.
The incident sparked a regional fiasco with Barbados AG forced to intervene and clarify his country’s knowledge of the incident.