The US Ambassador John Estrada (An EXPAT) says if he were in charge of the Police Service he would fire himself in the face of a spiralling crime problem.
On the issue of crime, Estrada said the United States provided a lot of resources to fight crime in T&T, from the FBI to training.
“To see the homicide rate spiral out of control ... it hurts me everytime I see a young woman, young school girl, and there was one just recently. It happens so frequently and I listen to the leadership. The people responsible for fighting crime are the police. There has to be accountability at that level.”
Estrada said: “If I were in charge of the police we would get results. If not, I would be the first one to fire myself if I ran the Police Service.”
The Ambassador said the ultimate responsibility for the failing crime situation is the “leadership at the top of the police service.”
He also weighed in on joint police army patrols saying it could prove to be detrimental to the army. He said during a television interview: “If you keep the army on the street fighting crime they are going to get as corrupted as some of the police on the street.”
At a function at the British High Commission recently, Director of the Police Complaints Authority David West referred to the police service as a gang. The statement prompted calls from the Police Social and Welfare Organisation for his resignation. West has since apologised saying he ought to have said there are rogue officers within the service who have to be removed and brought before the courts.
Without referring to West by name, Ambassador Estrada noted that there had been “a big controversy when someone made a comment”, although he was right. “In any organisation you have five, ten per cent of bad actors. He was right to say that.”
Estrada described the judicial system as mind boggling because “you could arrest someone and they don’t come to trial for two to seven years.”
So you could bring charges of corruption against KEITH DIAZ and he will be dead long before they are even ready to sentence him. But what the AMBASSADOR did not stay long enough in Trinidad to realize is that THIS GOVERNMENT needs a HIGH CRIME RATE in order to stay in office. Crime in T&T is a POLITICAL WEAPON for them; so don't ever expect to see it reduced.
But that's another political story!!!
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2017-01-17/homicide-rate-out-control
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This statement from the Acting Police Commissioner summarizes the rift between EXPATS and LOCALS:
“I will be the first person to walk if I am dissatisfied with the effort that I am putting in and the results that I’m getting. If murder was the only crime which occurs in T&T I would have resigned,” Williams said.
When Estrada comes back to America, I have to find his address and write him a letter congratulating him on being a REAL EXPAT after my own heart!!! I promise to post his response on this forum!!!
As the gap between rich and poor widens so will crime, everyone want to have the VIP lifestyle in La La Land.
Watchman - Do You Want A Watchman
Baron - River Of Tears ( Classic )