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COMMISSIONER of Police (CoP) Gary Griffith on Monday said there is no evidence to suggest that established criminal gangs are targeting women.
He made this comment during a virtual meeting hosted by the National Security Joint Select Committee.(JSC).
Responding to a question from Independent Senator Paul Richards, Griffith said, "Similar to what would have taken place in the unfortunate death of Ms (Andrea) Bharatt, several persons getting together, strategising, organising to commit an act of violence on someone – that is a gang."
But he added, "It may not be an established gang. But we have nothing about established gangs being involved in that type of crime." Griffith explained, "The established gangs: primarily their focus is to make money, as much as possible."
While the police have been able to considerably reduce the ability of gangs to access state contracts and control turf in different communities, Griffith said, there are still some streets in some communities "that one gang member cannot cross and get into the other." While listing some of the major gangs in the country and breakaway factions from those gangs, Griffith said the established gangs do not report to an "Al Capone" or "Mr Big."
But he said gang leaders may have other people under their influence, including police officers. He said this is why the police have recommended to the National Security Council that it be "mandatory for police officers to be polygraphed if required."
He added, "That is only mandatory when you join the police service."
By undertaking more rigorous and regular polygraph testing, Griffith opined, "This will eliminate the 150-odd police officers that are being closely monitored and red-flagged by the Professional Standards Bureau, SIU and other arms of the police service where we monitor them carefully, closely and try to keep them away from strategic places where they can do less harm."
He said one of the reasons for the effectiveness of the police's Special Operations Response Teame (SORT) in frontline operations is "because every member of SORT has been polygraphed."
Griffith also said there is no evidence of any Venezuelan-run criminal gangs in TT. But he said some Venezuelans have tried to join local gangs, and this has caused friction with local members.
Identifying peer pressure as a factor which causes young people to join gangs, Griffith said there is also pressure in the home for young people to join gangs.
"You can have a young boy at 15 or 16, bringing in $10,000 cash and drops it on the table. The grandmother or the mother would turn a blind eye because they want it."
Responding to Griffith's comments, JSC chairman Fitzgerald Hinds said as Laventille West MP, he knew his reality all too well.
While acknowledging successes in reducing criminal gang activity, Hinds said it is clear that "the proliferation of gangs remains a burning issue and a threatening issue for the people of TT."
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