Police in the Port of Spain Division said while the public is concerned over the spate of murders, efforts have been made to tackle violent crime, noting the seizure of 10,000 illegal guns across TT since the beginning of the year.
The figures were reported by ACP North-West Collis Hazel at the launch of the Port of Spain Division's anti-crime Christmas plan on Independence Square on Friday.
[caption id="attachment_990290" align="alignnone" width="1024"] An armed policewoman who is now part of the security presence patrolling Port of Spain during the Christmas season. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
The plan, termed the Deter, Enforce, Educate and Response (DEER) initiative, brings various state agencies together in crime-fighting activities, and uses a combination of police exercises and community-sensitisation campaigns to tackle crime.
Hazel said, up to Friday morning police in the Port of Spain Division had seized more than 72 illegal guns, surpassing the figure for the same period in 2021.
He urged the public to look at the successes of the police in removing illegal guns, and hoped such activities would encourage people to partner with the police in crime-fighting.
"In doing that, we have saved 10,000 lives. So while some slip through the cracks, one has to proactively look and see that we have saved the lives and livelihoods of 10,000 citizens in this 1.3 million population, and that's a significant number of lives.
"(So to) the citizens coming into Port of Spain, we continue to ensure this safe-city approach continues to work."
[caption id="attachment_990291" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Mayor of Port of Spain Joel Martinez and ACP North-West Collis Hazel speak during the launch of the Christmas 2022 anti-crime plan on Independence Square, Port of Spain on Friday. Photo by Ayanna Kinsale[/caption]
Hazel said the DEER initiative would unite different agencies to ensure a more focused and robust response to any threat over the Christmas season and into the new year.
Apart from the divisional police, Hazel said some of the agencies which would be involved would be the Port of Spain City Police, Customs and Excise Division, traffic wardens, port police, the TT Electricity Commission (TTEC) and the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).
He also warned visitors to the city that "naughtiness" would not be tolerated.
Referring to Santa Claus who monitors and punishes errant behaviour, Hazel said the police would similarly pay close attention to the behaviour of visitors to the city, and warned that the they were prepared to blanket the city with their presence.
"You have heard it: don't be naughty, continue to be nice.”
"I want to implore all of you that a strategic, directed operation is taking place. I want to warn the people who are bent on doing crime – don't test the mettle of our fabric, because we will deter you from doing that.
"We will deal with your naughtiness as we hit the streets throug
