Former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith believes the declaration of a State of Emergency shows hypocrisy by government.
Mr Griffith, also a former National Security Minister, says the PNM had criticized the People’s Partnership for implementing an SoE in 2011.
However, he agrees with the opinion that an SoE should not be used as a crime fighting tool, noting that it is not going to deal with the situation.
He believes what should be put in place are the right tools, policies, people and units that existed during his tenure as Police Commissioner from 2018 to 2021.
He is now urging the government to ensure law enforcement agencies do not abuse their authority during this period, putting forward the following recommendations:
- A dedicated hotline must be established for citizens to report any instances of abuse of authority directly to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA). This will help prevent a recurrence of the 2011 debacle.
- Another hotline should also allow citizens to provide critical intelligence to law enforcement agencies so they can target specific houses and hotspots related to illegal drugs, weapons, and gang activity.
- The National Operations Centre must be utilised for proper coordination and oversight to prevent any rogue elements within law enforcement from abusing their authority.
- Every operation must be meticulously monitored and controlled to ensure discipline, maturity, and professionalism from every law enforcement official, so that even with the necessary restrictions on constitutional rights, these powers are not abused.
This story has been updated.
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