"Why We Are Losing The War On Crime"
It’s funny how words shape human thinking, how we see things and how we respond.
Trinidad and Tobago is a militaristic society. Citizens accept the presence of police officers in full battle gear topped off with a bullet proof vest and AK47 in parties. That's normal.
How many police officers lives were saved by these vest? Law enforcement efficiency is equivalent to a display of fire power. The justification is that the criminals are all armed and dangerous so the police must also be more armed, (and more dangerous). A local arms race.
Somebody should whisper in Mr. Tibbs ear. He seems to be more concerned about his image than getting results. Coming from Canada he should know that big weapons are only useful in full all out fire fight and not on normal days in the crowded city or at packed parties.
Are they winning the war on crime?
Apparently not, because now the government is deploying army personnel; are we in a state of emergency? These army boys like nothing better. Without a lick of training they now can assist the police in doing what they have not been doing. But that begs the question...
Why do we have an Army anyway?
Do we need to defend ourselves from Grenada, Martinique or Venezuela? Or are do they exist to fight the "war on drugs" coming from other lands? How effective were they in the 1990 coup?
Trinidad and Tobago faces no external threat and even if we did our military will stand down and surrender their weapons to superior forces.
Would not an efficient police service be more useful than a battalion enlisted men whose only purpose is to assist the police?
Wake up Trinbago; "crime fighting" "war on crime and the war on drugs should not be taken literal. Crime fighting is detecting, identifying, sorting, building an air tight case against suspected criminals and isolating them from society.
You need guns but you also need crime detection skills and equipment. You need man power but not armed reinforcements. We have to power to make a difference but believe that armed force is the answer.
And while we are on the topic of power versus force, one minister recently said in Parliament that the "hanging bill will solve crimes". Not reduce but solve crimes. If a minister is so confused to think that a bill will solve crime we are certainly in a desperate state of affairs.
Why would a murderer worry about getting hanged when they know they will not caught? And when someone is actually caught the likelihood of being acquitted is always better than them being convicted. Here is a suggestion...
Why not dissolve the local army, train them in law enforcement procedures? Screen out the bad seeds in the law enforcement service. Invest the saving on real crime fighting solutions such as a DNA lab, a finger print and criminal database with the network to support it.
Too simple huh?
Instead, lets buy more weapons. Suspend and transfer police officers and cover up police brutality. Pass more legislation and pay foreigners to run our police force. Lets depend on the results of torture, intimidation and superior weapons to solve crime.
Is that working?
I agree with the information that you have shared. Criminals are increasing day by day and doing crime without fear. It is good if responsibility to control criminals are given to Army. Military service in general has a good benefit.
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