Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams has defended his right to transfer ace crime fighter, Senior Supt Johnny Abraham, from the Chaguanas to Port-of-Spain Division.
Williams said yesterday that his dissatisfaction with the level of crime in the PoS division propelled his decision to move Abraham, saying his shift there could assist in cleaning up the city’s crime woes.
He denied there was anything sinister in the move, as transfers took place every month in the service as he carried out his mandate to manage it and place officers where their services were required.
In an interview on i95.5FM yesterday, Williams said the PoS division had the largest percentage of serious crimes, woundings and murders in T&T.
He said he was unhappy with the crime statistics in the PoS Division, so when the head of the division applied for long vacation leave he seized the opportunity to make a positive impact on crime in that division by placing Abraham in the position
Of the murders in the country, he said, “Twenty-two per cent of all the murders in T&T are committed in the Port-of-Spain Division, 35 per cent of all the serious crime in T&T are committed in the Port-of-Spain Division.
“We have nine police divisions, so if one division is contributing in such a large way, from a policing perspective, it is one of the most important divisions to control.
“If you cannot control crime in the Port-of-Spain Division your national picture is affected. In looking at the Port-of-Spain Division, you have to find a leader who can get there and take charge and seek to impact on crime.”
He contended, “Johnny Abraham is a senior superintendent, he is a very active, 24/7 operational person on the ground.”
He said Abraham, whose transfer has raised the ire of the Chaguanas Business Association, would get the resources required to fight crime in Port-of-Spain.
Williams said prior to Abraham’s transfer he spoke with him and shared with him his intention; Abraham consented to the change.
“He agreed to support what was my intention and he is doing that. He is working hard and he has agreed to give 100 per cent.”
Responding to mounting pressure by the business community to have Abraham remain in Central, Williams said, “I cannot look at T&T only in the context of Chaguanas. I have to look at T&T as the entire T&T.
“I am running a police service and dealing with crime across T&T and I have to find the right placements and that is exactly what I did.”