Dear Editor,

A few days ago a friend of mine was robbed.

The event saw three men attempt to pull her out of her car. She was left confused as to whether it was a robbery, a carjacking, or an attempted kidnapping. The men were in and out of her car. She escaped when the people in the area were alerted by her screams and the men ran off. She reported the incident to the police, who first spent time trying to decide if she was in the correct jurisdiction. Thereafter, they took her report and gave her a sheet indicating that the report was made and informed her that the paper was necessary to get replacement documents that were lost in the robbery. There was no attempt to follow her back to her car, which was left at the scene. And no attempt to get the fingerprints of the robbers — no follow-up whatsoever.

An employee of mine had a similar response when her common-law husband physically abused her. She submitted a medical report and did everything that the police requested. They never followed up, never interviewed the man. She eventually left the country for her own safety. This kind of experience is what is now accepted as common interaction with our police service.

The problem is not with the policemen and women who work at the police stations, it lies with the structures, management, and systems. But the ultimate failure of our police service lies on the steps of a Government that has no idea about modern-day policing and does not care.

No serious Government would employ a retired police person to head the police service. That person, who is just hanging around for a while, cannot be motivated to put in place the things that are necessary for an efficient police service.

The police service needs vehicles equipped with modern computers for contact tracing of vehicles and personnel. That must be supported by government-issued vehicle identification plates. There must be modern fingerprinting tracing and registering. There must be a sector of the police dedicated to traffic offences and accident investigation, one for gun violence and homicides, one for blue collar crime and fraud, and an elite unit for gang violence and threat to communities. These divisions must be clearly identified by having their divisions clearly printed on their vehicles. More importantly, there must be structured police patrols 24/7 in every community.

To put these measures in place requires energised, motivated management. It requires a Government who cares about the peace and stability in communities. A Minister of National Security that is not sure of what are his obligation to the people regarding crime and a Police Commissioner approaching retirement is not the solution.

The police service is just one of the many institutions of Trinidad and Tobago that has fallen. The same can be said of the judiciary, our infrastructure management, and almost every aspect of our governance.

Now is the time for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago to unite and dedicate our efforts to save and rebuild our country. It is time to hope.

God bless our nation.

Steve Alvarez

Trinidad and Tobago

bilcoa@hotmail.com