by Gordon Laughlin
Trinidad and Tobago continues to announce new initiatives to fight crime, including mobile police posts. But the real question is: Do we have the manpower, leadership and strategy to make them work?
A police post is only useful if it is properly staffed. If officers are simply moved from existing stations to man these posts, we have not increased our policing capacity, we have merely moved the shortage.
More importantly, do those in authority have the strategic capability to manage the crime crisis?
Today we are dealing with gangs, illegal firearms, narcotics, organised crime and sophisticated criminal networks. This requires intelligence-led policing, specialised investigators, technology and strong operational leadership, not simply more police presence.
Government should tell the public exactly how many officers are available for frontline policing, how these posts will be permanently staffed, and what measurable targets have been established to reduce murders, shootings and gang activity.
We should stop measuring success by the number of police posts erected or officers recruited.
Measure success by fewer murders, fewer shootings, more illegal guns seized, faster response times, higher detection rates and convictions.
The criminals appear to have a strategy.
Does the Government?
We need more than announcements. We need competent leadership, a coherent national strategy and, above all, results.
The people of Trinidad and Tobago deserve nothing less.
