Police Commissioner, Erla Harewood-Christopher said while violent crimes continue to be a concern to the public, the police had several successes in their campaign against criminals.
For the year thus far, there have been 391 murders compared to 392 for the same period last year. For the month of August, up to yesterday, meanwhile, there were 55 murders compared to 68 murders up to the same period last year.
Speaking at the weekly TTPS media briefing at the Police Administration Building on Sackville Street, Port of Spain, yesterday, the top cop said: “In the number of murders, which shows the murders are actually trending down, which shows that the strategies are working, we continue to revise our strategies to ensure that we make that positive impact.”
Harewood-Christopher also noted that that for the year thus far, 65 people had been charged for murder, adding that at least three more suspects were expected to face charges in the Central Division.
Of this figure, she said 47 people were charged for murders that happened this year, while 10 were charged for murders in 2022. She added that 467 illegal guns and 15,482 rounds of ammunition had also been seized so far this year.
She said while the recent spate of murders across the country remained a concern for the public, incidents of crime were not evidence of police inaction.
“I want to assure the community, the national community, that the police are conscious and we are capable. The work of the police is constant and effective in deterring crime,” Harewood-Christopher said.
“The fact that some persons succeed in committing crimes is not an indication that the police isn’t out there on a moment-by-moment basis, doing what is necessary to deter, detect and prosecute crimes.”
“The reality is that the police cannot be everywhere it is possible for a crime to be committed and there are those bent on making an opportunity of that and it is for that reason I appeal to members of the public to continue partnering with the police to combat criminal activities in their communities and in our country.”
Harewood-Christopher said different police units were working to investigate murders, adding that the strategies were continuously being adjusted to meet changes in trends and patterns.