Tuesday February 9th, 2010
- Last update:12 hours 11 min ago
Robbers attack cops on Beetham Highway
Published: 20 Aug 2009
Two police officers had to run for their lives when gunmen opened fire on them during an attempted robbery on the Beetham Highway on Tuesday night. PC Keston Frederick, assigned to the West End Police Station sustained a gunshot wound to the right foot in the incident. He was treated at hospital and discharged.
According to police, around 10.30 pm Frederick was driving his vehicle east along the Beetham Highway when he experienced mechanical difficulties and drove in to the NP Service Station. According to police, Frederick made a call to his father, who is also a policeman assigned to Special Branch, requesting assistance. Some time later, the lawman was able to get his vehicle restarted and drove off. The car, however, shut down for a second time near an area known as Hell Yard.
As the officer got out of the vehicle, a group of men approached. Police said one of the suspected robbers recognised Frederick as a police officer and informed his accomplices who fired shots at the officer. Frederick’s father arrived at the scene moments later. As the lawman jumped into his father’s car, the gunmen riddled the vehicle with bullets. Frederick was shot in the process. Both officers were unarmed at the time and could not defend themselves, police said.
A report was made and close to 100 police and soldiers responded and locked down the area in search for the attackers who could not be found. Cpl Charles and PC Thompson of the Besson Street CID visited the scene along with Crime Scene Investigators and are continuing investigations. This incident came hours after PC Halls of the Repeat Offenders Programme (ROP) shot and killed 22-year-old Andrew Williams at Barataria after Williams attempted to rob Halls of his gold chain and motor vehicle.
Okay powers-that-be, you
Okay powers-that-be, you have just had graphic examples for each side of the argument on whether off duty cops should be armed. First instance the off-duty cop is armed and kills his attacker then in the next the off-duty cops are unarmed and are almost killed by their attackers. It comes down to simply this, who should be carried in a casket, the officer whose job it is to protect life and limb or one of the lawless ones?
Is a police officer ever really 'off duty'?
Not so fast! Do you
Not so fast! Do you remember Dorna Noel and what happened to her a few weeks ago? Boy, Trini cyar take horn!
Off duty cops being armed
Off duty cops being armed and cops killing their mates are totally different issues. Related yes but different.
Let me pose the question this way. Should the overwhelming majority of TTPS officers, thousands of them, lose the right to protect themselves and the public from criminals because of the possibility that a handful of unbalanced off duty cops may use guns to kill their spouses? And let's face it, there are cops who are allowed to take guns home because of the units in which they work. Are those cops so elite that they are immune from that kind of killing? I would think they more likely to kill actually.
There is no police agency that I know of where there is not always the danger of domestic abuse escalating into deadly violence. The answer is to put in place policies and procedures to address that issue. Counseling available 24/7 for officers under stress. Stiff penalties for officers involved in domestic abuse. Constant training. Making sure officers have outlets. The answer is not to prevent all officers from taking their guns home as that does not address why cops kill their spouses.
Dorna Noel's policeman-killer checked the gun out of the station so exactly how did not allowing off-duty cops from having guns prevent her murder?
Yes, a Police Officer is
Yes, a Police Officer is very often "off-duty"...
When else can he visit his favourite watering hole for a refreshing beverage?
Can he "tax" drug blocks while on duty?
Is there a stipulated time when he can abuse his/her spice (plural of spouse?) or intimidate others?
http://dsaltsman.blogspot.com/
This report is based on a
This report is based on a true story, all persons and their identities have been changed to protect them. LOL.
Now targets! Just as in
Now targets!
Just as in certain parts of the USA, years ago cops were targets. I guess this is the case in TnT now. The only defence is offence. Sad to say but these criminals are willing to fight so, the cops need to take the fight to them. This is the only way, they are not scared and they know the life. TnT police need to raid all these bad boy houses and just keep the areas hot, the good police that is. Like in Mexico, these cops need to protect their identity on these raids, yes black mask, just like how the bandits come to rob us, they need to go after them. OOps, I can here the human rights idiots now "that is wrong" but guess what, when it happens to them, they cry. But then again we are talking about Trinidad here, nothing like this will ever happen because we lime to much
In the US masks are worn by
In the US masks are worn by officers in raids also. Many people here are scared to join the TTPS because of the immediate dangers posed to them, as long as criminals see you in uniform is bullets at you, your car and your home. Its time they put curfews in all these high crime areas and lock up anyone who defies them, but our human rights lawyers will be quick to render any strict police as inhumane or a violation of rights to freedom
...there's only one
...there's only one profession that is more hazardous than being a police person in T&T...it's being a URP foreman.....
Nope Mr Z. Lee, being a hard
Nope Mr Z. Lee, being a hard working Trini. We are all at risk daily. Just getting to work on mornings or returning back home can be a life or death experience...
The police in Trinidad are
The police in Trinidad are jokers whose performance (as measured by percentage of crimes solved) is ridiculously low. In Trinidad, the odds of being caught are so low (I think its actually 10 to 1) that crime very much does pay. Its no surprise then that criminals will brazenly attack off duty cops with no regard for the consequences (there are none). This attack is an example of the complete lack of respect anyone has for the police force. A lack of respect that is truly deserved.
A good argument for how we
A good argument for how we take care of the needs of the policemaen/women whose jobs are to protect us.
(1)They need their guns on and off duty to protect themselves from vicious criminals who will not think twice about kiliing them if they think that they are unarmed. (policemen/women are probably our next door neighbour's child)
(2)On going and continuous counselling to make sure that they can be helped with stressed and personal problems, so that we do not have a repeat of murder/suicide.
"Sweet T&T" is now the No.2
"Sweet T&T" is now the No.2 killing field in Caricom , Jamaica being the No.1 . All law enforcement officers must carry firearms at all times .
ATW - Barbados .
ISC For those of us who have
ISC
For those of us who have chosen to live in this still beautiful country who are faced more so now with the increasing fears of being a victim of a crime. Within our Constitution, Police Officers are empowered by the State (people) to protect and serve the citizenry. Now over the years these officers have come under brazen attacks and some have been killed. Yes, some of the officers have used their authority to abuse others, but should we not look at protecting all law enforcement officers so they can do their jobs better. If the police act unjustly, our judiciary still works because cops have been charged for offences before including murder. Show these cops you care and the good ones would would protect us from the bad ones. How do first world countries treat their cops?
what do you do if you or
what do you do if you or your family broke down on the beetham?
god forbid should tourists, ok, white people, break down there.
what is needed is for all cops to be armed at all times.
what is also needed is for all honest citizens be able to be armed.
predators need to be mowed down, like the vermin they are, never to rob another person of their hard earned posessions, etc.
unfortunately these got away.
miss noel should also have been armed, not to be shot like a helpless baby.
those that live in the st anns palace should realise one day they will be living among the masses, and what they are sowing today they will reap tomorrow.
Sufferers do not care about
Sufferers do not care about "Colour or Race".
Tourists come in all colours today. PEOPLE are getting held up there, that is the most important thing. Many of our own women and children have to pass there because they live here.
Tourist come and go by the dozen, and do not have to return to this country, they have a choice.
We live here and if we cannot look after ourselves how can we look after "White People"/tourists. What is so different about "white"
Because of the mind set of Trinbagonians it is not a wise thing for us all to be armed, as a wild west mentality m will surely prevail.
How do we seperate honest citizens from dishonest ones, do you give one of those nasty people who are white collar criminals a GUN or are they honest citizens?
Is it just me or is it only
Is it just me or is it only when Police Officers get shot, that this becomes the prerquisit for the Army and Police to come out in hundreds to do the job that we the Tax Payers are paying them to do. If this was a Civillian or Mr. Joe Public, we would be guarantied that not one nor let alone one hundred officers would be mobilised unless we are killed. Trinidadians need to wake up, this is not just about arming the offduty police officers it is about giving every law abiding citizen of Trinidad and Tobago the right to bear Arms to protect ourselves. God knows that our Government and a long line of ineffective Police Officials cannot help us as we see they cannot even protect themselves.
The people in the Beetham
The people in the Beetham when interviewed always present themselves as law abiding citizens who are usually terrorised by the police for no reason. While many are upright, hardworking individuals, some are spoiling it for the good ones. Why these Beetham guys don't show up to help the drivers who have experienced mechanical problems on the highway instead of coming to rob? They continue to tarnish their own image and place their lives in danger. Had the cops been armed that night, some young Beetham boy would have been in the mortuary today. Think fellas think!!!
Oh Gosh..this is an easy
Oh Gosh..this is an easy one! All the police have to do, is to set up a sting operation similar to this situation..except the driver of the car will be armed..and there will be armed officers on standby. Now think of this...there will be no waste of police time to lock down the infested area (and not catch anyone)..and secondly, the police can shoot and kill all those responsible at the time of the attack delivering swift and responsible justice.
Common officers..if you hold a sting operation of a mechanical breakdown anywhere along beetham once a week...think about the possibilities !!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Gosh..this is an easy
Oh Gosh..this is an easy one! All the police have to do, is to set up a sting operation similar to this situation..except the driver of the car will be armed..and there will be armed officers on standby. Now think of this...there will be no waste of police time to lock down the infested area (and not catch anyone)..and secondly, the police can shoot and kill all those responsible at the time of the attack delivering swift and responsible justice.
Common officers..if you hold a sting operation of a mechanical breakdown anywhere along beetham once a week...think about the possibilities !!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Gosh..this is an easy
Oh Gosh..this is an easy one! All the police have to do, is to set up a sting operation similar to this situation..except the driver of the car will be armed..and there will be armed officers on standby. Now think of this...there will be no waste of police time to lock down the infested area (and not catch anyone)..and secondly, the police can shoot and kill all those responsible at the time of the attack delivering swift and responsible justice.
Common officers..if you hold a sting operation of a mechanical breakdown anywhere along beetham once a week...think about the possibilities !!!!!!!!!!!