Six weeks after the expiration of the Bail (Amendment) Bill and Anti-Gang legislation, head of the Central Division Senior Supt Floris Hodge-Griffith says criminals who were once behind bars are the reason for a spike in criminal activity in the Central Division, particularly Enterprise, Chaguanas.
Interviewed yesterday Hodge-Griffith said the only change they could identify in the division apart from some criminal migration, is the release of some men who officers belive are involved in criminal activity that have now been given access to bail.
She said the suspects in the two recent murders of Joshua Huggins on Sunday and Adam Boney on Monday have been recently released from prison having been granted bail.
Some 620 prisoners were able to access bail following the collapse of the Bill in August.
Government had previously indicated its desire to extend the legislation for another two years, to August, 2018, but failed to get Opposition support on that, hence its lapse.
General secretary of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association, Insp Anand Ramesar, said then the expiration of the legislation now removed one of the tools in the police’s armoury in their fight against crime.
Now that the laws have lapsed, the offence of being a gang leader, member or assisting a gang member are no longer offences and those previously charged can access bail before the expiration of 120 days.
“These people have been in custody and because of the Bail Act falling apart they apply for bail and they got bail because some of our suspects applied for bail and they got bail” Hodge-Griffith said.
She added that in the two killings the suspects were recently granted bail.
Hodge-Griffith said since the collapse of the Bill her officers have been trying to mitigate the fall out from their impending release, now the lawmen have to re-strategise.
She added: “I came there in July and I had a lovely grace period and just out of the blue we had these murders.
“I have some plans I want to put in motion from today. We have gotten some additional resources and I am waiting on that.
“Right now it is specs against specs. I have to do my best to be in the game too and I have to get some equipment to combat that. Everyday we have to re-invent ourselves with the criminals.”
Hodge-Griffith said there was greater migration of criminals in the area as the local stock have sought to import outside help to commit their nefarious deeds.
She said one of the equipment the Central Division have in their arsenal was facial recognition software and the criminals were evading this by having outsiders commit crimes.
The criminals were being imported from Western Division and Port-of-Spain Division mostly, she said.
While touring parts of Enterprise yesterday the T&T Guardian was told by officers on patrol that criminals were using walkie talkies and cameras to communicate with each other about police locations in order to evade them.
Residents said there have been constant police and army patrols in the area, saying they are comfortable with how the police are treating with criminality in the area.