Arima residents did not mince words as they took issue with different aspects of poor police customer relations.
On Monday night during a Police Town Hall meeting at the Arima Community Centre, complaints raised ranged from rude officers to sluggish responses to reports.
Residents spoke about the issue, days after the TTPS promised to investigate claims of poor customer service involving comedian Kenneth Seupersad.
Head of the Northern Division Snr Supt Miguel Montrichard apologised for their experiences and promised a better quality of service in the future.
During his contribution, retired principal David Walker referred to an incident where he was cursed and threatened by someone in his neighbourhood.
Walker said he reported the incident at the Arima Police Station and was assured by the officer that police would visit him at his home shortly after.
However, Walker said hours after returning home he still was not contacted by police, prompting him to return to the station for the second time that day.
“I went back there and that gentleman (the officer) tried everything to avoid my gaze. I am standing there like a little child with my hand up and he wouldn’t make eye contact with me, eventually he did and he says they will send a party of officers.
“I went back home and at one minute past 7 pm he calls me to find out where I live,” Walker said.
Businesswoman Diane Alexander said she visited the Arima Police Station after a break-in but was told by an officer at the station to return at 9 am to make the report.
“I said I’ll be back and I never went back.
“I have a business, I took time to go there, got no help.
“You all say work with the police but if we’re coming there and you’re getting this kind of behaviour, there’s crime happening and people don’t want to come to the station,” Alexander complained.
Montrichard apologised to Alexander for the service she received.
He admitted that one of the challenges of leadership was managing different personalities of subordinates and would continue to push for better quality of service.
“That foolishness that the police did by telling you to come back at 9 o’clock. There’s nothing I can say to make you feel better because your problem hasn’t been solved and continually having to apologise doesn’t make it better either. I can try and ensure that from now on you get the kind of service you’re supposed to get,” Montrichard said.