When you think of crime in this country one area may instinctively come to mind—Laventille.
You could be forgiven for thinking that, because according to statistics from the T&T Police Service (TTPS) the Port-of-Spain Division of which Laventille is a “major contributor” has recorded the most murders in this country consecutively for at least the last three years.
But now, according to acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams, (who is on vocation), “something good is happening in Laventille”.
Williams said according to the TTPS’ statistics, the Port-of-Spain Division is currently ranked fourth in the country in terms of murders.
The Northern Division, which spans from Arima and St Joseph, is now ranked first in terms of murders.
The Port-of-Spain Division is now also ranked fourth in the country in terms of woundings and shootings, again having dropped from the number one position
The Southern Division is now ranked first in terms of woundings and shootings.
Williams said according to statistics 48 murders have been reported in the Port-of-Spain Division.
This represents 25 fewer people murdered in the area when compared to the same period last year, Williams said.
Last year for the same period 73 people were murdered in the Port-of-Spain Division, he said.
In 2014, 70 people were murdered for the same period, Williams said.
Williams made the statements as he delivered the feature address at the Beyond Borders Conference and Workshop hosted by the Rose Foundation in collaboration with the Hearts and Minds Programme of the TTPS’ Inter-Agency Task Force at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre yesterday.
Williams said the improvement in Laventille could be better seen when the statistics for woundings and shootings are analysed.
Williams said there were 96 fewer woundings and shootings reported in the Port-of-Spain Division when compared to the same period last year.
Last year 141 woundings and shootings were recorded for the equivalent period, he said.
For this year only 45 woundings and shootings have been recorded, he said.
Crime displacement
While Williams has lauded the decrease in murders, woundings and shootings in the Port-of-Spain Division the killing spree in this country continues unabated.
Murders in the Northern Division have now taken over the number one spot.
According to the TTPS’ statistics the Northern Division accounted for 58 murders last year.
The statistics for this year, according to the TTPS’ website, show that the Northern Division accounted for 80 murders so far.
Criminologist Prof Ramesh Deosaran yesterday said this is as a result of the phenomenon known as “crime displacement”.
“If this is happening in Port-of-Spain with the urban areas as they are in terms of poverty, schooling, parenting and the youth unemployment I think any significant decrease will obviously be a very welcome indicator,” Deosaran said.
“Secondly we have to examine the statistics and the investigations to see whether the decrease is due to more effective policing or whether the community partnerships are beginning to work in a particular area,” he said.
“The phenomenon of crime displacement is still uppermost in criminological thinking because Trinidad is a small place so it is like water, when you block one hole it seeks another space, so if there is a commensurate increase in other divisions with respect to the crimes that you are citing, if there is an increase, the question of displacement arises,” Deosaran said.
The Central Division, according to the latest TTPS statistics, is second in the country for murders with the Southern Division ranking third.
“We have done some research some years ago. Not only looking at the crimes and where they happen but where the offenders come from and we found that if a crime happens for example in Caroni or in Toco it does not mean to say that the offenders live there,” Deosaran said.
“What we have found is that there is a remarkable transmigration from one district to another and especially the Port-of-Spain Division because I have heard that the commanders become very firm in controlling the Port-of-Spain Division and the other high crime areas, so that if pressure has been brought upon the criminals they will naturally shift, so the question of displacement arises,” he said.
Deosaran said a proper analysis of the statistics must be done
“We have to look at the statistics very closely. Not just at the end numbers, we have to look at the genesis and I think one way we can look at it is to look at where the offenders come from and the other related demographics in terms of schooling so we can present a more overall solution,” he said.
The tipping point
Williams said we cannot “arrest our way” out of this country’s crime problem but instead a softer approach to crime is needed.
He said he believes that the TTPS going into the Port-of-Spain Division and meeting with residents may be responsible for the positive changes being reflected in a decrease in crime.
“We need to be able to utilise the cumulated impact of all the small things that have been happening which are good to create what one writer has described as a tipping point. Malcolm Gladwell in his book Tipping Point identified that there is some point in time when all the small things can come together and have a major impact. That is what we are seeing,” Williams said.
Williams said he hopes that the crime figures continue to decrease.
Roman Catholic priest Fr Clyde Harvey who is known for his work in Port-of-Spain lauded the police in the area for their hard work and dedication to duty.
“I think what people do not understand is that there are some really great policemen that have been doing some wonderful work building relationships rather than just in the common perception killing and locking up people. The key to the resolution to the Laventille thing, which is not a crime problem alone, it is a community problem, the key to that is building relationships. If the teachers built relationships in school they would have less angry young people, so I would give the police a certain amount of credit for doing a good job,” Harvey said.