Senior Reporter
otto.carrington@cnc3.co.tt
The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) is set to be out in full force during the Carnival season. Acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin yesterday assured the public that safety and security are top priorities.
With over 70 arrests already made as the Government enforces State of Emergency (SoE) regulations, the police are taking a zero-tolerance approach to anyone attempting to disrupt the Carnival activities.
“We are going to be in our numbers. We are going to be looking at all those priority offenders. We already have about 70 or more persons who have been arrested, and we are looking for others because we are saying that no one is to come and disrupt the peace and tranquility of these events,” said Benjamin.
The SOE regulations have granted additional powers to national security agencies, allowing for a strategic and enhanced law enforcement response. Benjamin expressed confidence in achieving operational excellence and highlighted the deployment of officers across various units.
“One of the things that we continue to do is seek to increase our deployment. So, we even have special regime officers coming on board. We have the municipal police that will be coming on board, along with transit officers. We also have traffic wardens helping us. Again, because of the SoE, we have the Defence Force having that power for us and also having the same powers as police officers,” he stated.
Benjamin assured the public that any offenders would be dealt with decisively, reinforcing the message that the events are off-limits for troublemakers.
“Anyone found committing such an offence, we will be dealing with them very decisively. But right now, we are saying these events are off-limits for those persons. But for people who want to come and truly enjoy the season, we are saying feel free to come because safety and security are our priority.”
He also emphasised the importance of rebuilding trust between the public and law enforcement, noting the positive reception he received from citizens during the 2025 Junior Parade of the Bands at the Queen’s Park Savannah.
“I continue to feel really comforted knowing that persons are reaching out to the police and seeing the positive approach given to the police, even as we continue to do these operations. And today was no exception. Meeting the people is what I love to do, and it was really good to see that positive reception from the public,” Benjamin said.
Encouraging cooperation, the commissioner called for stronger community partnerships in crime prevention, aiming to reduce both crime and the fear of crime.
“We want to encourage the public to work with us. We need their support, and we want to work with them. Therefore, as we continue to build community engagement and strengthen our partnership, we believe that we will not just reduce crime, but we will reduce the fear of crime, which is so important at this time.”