Acting Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher at police media briefing at Police Administration Building Corner Edward and Sackville Streets, Port of Spain, on Friday. – SUREASH CHOLAI
WHILE acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) Erla Christopher describes it as “fact” that the murder toll would reach 600 this year, she has called on women to understand their influence in the fight against crime and criminality.
In a plea to women, during a media briefing on Friday afternoon at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, Christopher said, “It is important because I know within the national community they are focusing on the fact that we would reach 600 murders but we as women have that ability, authority to influence.”
“We cannot do it alone. And as we come to the end of this year I want to appeal to our females. I am speaking to mothers, wives, sisters and aunts. We hold a position of influence. We can influence the mind of all the young men who are bent on living a life of crime. We can influence all those young men who are hired as shooters, all these young men who display disrespect for life.
As of Friday afternoon, TT recorded 577 murders. Nine murders happened in Tobago.
A large percentage of the murders this year were gang-related and involved illegal firearms.
Christopher said, “Information alone does not slow (down) crime. We need evidence. In the absence of technical evidence, I am appealing to the community if they have information please inform us.”
She said assistance from officers coming off of leave has significantly boosted the presence and helped the operations of officers.
She further called on seniors within the community to reflect on their contribution over the past 12 months to help keep crime down.
It’s been one week since the Police Service Commission appointed Christopher to the position. At the briefing, she had little to say about her first week acting as commissioner in place of McDonald Jacob who is currently on 35-days vacation.
She simply described it as interesting. Asked how she feels to take on the position at a time when the murder toll is sky-rocketing, she assured the country it was not a daunting task for her. “…It’s not an impossible task and we are sure that as a leadership team we will continue to implement strategies that will mitigate against that. So, let’s wait and see.”
She believes her appointment was timely.
“I know what women bring to general life. I know the important role we play so the position is not daunting. As a matter of fact, I think probably it’s the right time to have that female leadership.”
In July, Jacob said it will take more than a sustained, rigid, crime-fighting approach to break the increasing murder toll. At that time Jacob assured the public that the police are working to keep this year’s toll below the 440 average for the last 15 years.
According to the TTPS website, the Northern Division has reported the highest number of murders this year with the Central Division trailing behind.
The Northern Division also had the highest incident-reports this year. There have been over 2,000 incident-reports ranging from larceny, break-ins, murders, domestic abuse, wounding, and kidnapping, among others coming out of that division.
In May, Jacob said police have been noticing an increase in home invasions. For this year, there have been 133 in the Southern Division, 128 in the Northern Division and 126 in Central, totalling 631.
For the same period in 2021, there had been 623 home invasions. Christopher said police are doing all in their power to tackle this problem.
Throughout the year police turned to several crime-fighting initiatives to reduce murders.
Some of them were criticised by Police Social and Welfare Association head ASP Gideon Dickson who questioned whether Jacob’s crime plan would allow officers to work smarter and not harder after an additional 60 officers were called out to duty and all leave requests had been cancelled to get “more boots on the ground.”
As murders crossed 500 in October, Jacob urged his officers to remain resilient and called on citizens for help. But despite these and other efforts, the number of murders continued on an upward trajectory.
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