Several arms of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the public joined forces in a show of solidarity in the fight against crime in T&T. With crime being the number one issue facing the population the solidarity walk on Saturday titled, Walking for A Brighter Tomorrow was a welcome sight for many in the capital.
Former ASP , Joanne James, a consultant with Project Grace (Gang Reduction and Community Empowerment) said the walk was a collaboration with the TTPS and Project Grace.
Many groups came with banners and gathered at the Queen’s Park Savannah to take part in the walk to Independence Square along Frederick Street, hosted by the Community-Oriented Policing Section (COPS) of the TTPS Port of Spain. There were representatives of various police youth clubs, youth organizations and NGOs.
They included We Care, an organization for the “hard of hearing” and deaf, Credo Foundation for Justice, the Gender Affairs Division of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Council of the Orisha of TT, the Aranguez North Cadets and police youths clubs such as TT Paramilitary, St Clair, Barataria, John John, Debe and many more.
The walk was a collaboration between the TTPS and Project Grace , which is a US-funded programme having two main components. These include intelligence-led policing and investigations, and community engagement. Their main focus on Saturday was aimed at problem-solving and building partnerships.
Former ASP James said: “The Port of Spain Division COPS felt, because of the high incidents of crime, that they should come together with the community because, at the heart of community policing, is the partnership between the police and the community.
She also said: “This walk is a signal to all that there is a real partnership in Port of Spain and it is the community who signals to us what their main concerns are at this time.