Despite threats from the Police Service Social and Welfare Association that its members intend to stay away from duty on Carnival Monday and Tuesday, the executive of the T&T Police Service is giving the assurance that police will be out in full force alongside other members of the various arms of national security.
Speaking at the weekly press briefing at the Police Administration Building, Port-of-Spain, yesterday, acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Harold Phillip, the Gold Commander in charge of security operations for Carnival 2015, assured there would be a full complement of police for the season.
“I want to assure the public the Police Service is prepared and ready to fulfil its responsibility and ensure that Carnival 2015 will be safe and successful.
“The Police Service continued its final collaboration with our stakeholders, in particlar our security stakeholders, including the Defence Force, the National Operation Centre, the Customs and Excise Division, the Fire and Prison Services and the Office of Disaster Preparedness,” he added.
Phillip said municipal police and security officers at the various ports would also be assisting in the effort to ensure the 2015 Carnival experience was a safe one.
Saying there would be a team effort to ensure the security blanket will cover the nine policing divisions, Phillip said there were some 32 locations throughout the country where Carnival activities were expected to take place.
“All of our divisions have been allocated adequate resources with respect to manpower and logistical support and we are expecting a full complement of our police officers, both the regular police officers and our special reserve police officers, to be on the road on both Carnival Monday and Tuesday. We would be both in uniform and plain clothes,” Phillip said.
He also warned drivers to obey all the traffic restrictions as wreckers would be out in full swing.
Phillip was also appointed by acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams to probe enquiries into allegations of an attempt to pervert the course of justice by former attorney general Anand Ramlogan.
Asked what was the status of the investigations, however, corporate communications manager Ellen Lewis instead answered for Phillip, saying a statement will be issued at the end of the probe.