COMMISSIONER of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher says the police are focusing on reducing crime in Tobago.

She made that comment in response to concerns raised by Tobago East MP Ayanna Webster-Roy to her and other members of the police service’s executive during a meeting with the Parliament’s National Security Joint Select Committee (JSC) at the Red House, Port of Spain on Monday. Webster-Roy’s concerns were related to a triple murder in Black Rock, Tobago, earlier in the day.

She said, “My little island of Tobago that was once known to be clean, green, safe and serene.”

Webster-Roy added that crime was not occurring in just one community or on one part of Tobago.

“We have reports coming out of Speyside, Mt St George, Black Rock and Mt Pleasant, Bethel and you could say across the entire island.”

She asked Harewood-Christopher if there were any changes to the police’s violent-crime-reduction plan that would be specific to treating with violent crimes in Tobago.

“What can you say to the people of Tobago now to give us a sense of assurance that decisive action is being taken and that reducing gun violence in Tobago is being given the right attention in terms of intelligence, in terms of operations, in terms of administration, in terms of CID (criminal investigations department.” Harewood-Christopher told Webster-Roy, “I am going to assure the Tobago public that our focus is on Tobago as much as it is on Trinidad.”

The Police Commissioner reminded JSC members that over the last two months, additional police officers were deployed to Tobago.

“We would have seen the rise of the crime (in Tobago). So we have officers from the GEB (Guard and Emergency Branch), the IATF ( Inter-Agency Task Force) functioning in Tobago, and that is a permanent initiative.”

Harewood-Christopher said, “As of this morning, another team of officers from the IATF has left to provide training for the frontline (police) officers of Tobago. So that is to ensure that they are capable and competent in doing basic road checks, teaching them to build their confidence to confront perceived offenders.”

She added, “So we have been focusing on Tobago and we will continue to focus.”

Harewood-Christopher confirmed police would meet with Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and his administration about crime on the island.

The National Security Council, which is chaired by the Prime Minister, is scheduled to meet at the Office of the Prime Minister, Central Administrative Services, Tobago on July 9.

Dr Rowley has invited Augustine to attend this meeting. National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds and Harewood-Christopher will also attend the meeting.

Webster-Roy asked if the police were able to predict there would be an upsurge in crime in Tobago, with respect to gun violence.

Harewood-Christopher replied, “When you look at the trends, up to a point.”

Deputy Commissioner (Intelligence) Suzette Martin said, “Yes we checked and we have intelligence. We are working behind the scenes on gun violence,