Despite ending 2023 with one of the lowest crime detection rates of all ten police divisions, officers of the North-Central Division have improved their detection statistics.
The detection rate for Serious Reported Crimes (SRCs), for the first quarter of 2024, was 26 per cent. The division's detection rate last year was only 17 per cent. A crime is considered detected once a suspect is arrested and charged.
These figures were revealed by the head of the North-Central Division Snr Supt Richard Smith at a police town hall meeting at the Maracas, St Joseph Community Centre on Thursday night.
Smith who was transferred to the North-Central Division from the Southern Division late last September, admitted that he was not pleased with the detection rate by the end of 2023 and encouraged his team to do better.
"Thus far we are at number three in the country and we are going to continue heading in the right direction because we can't allow these criminals to take our country from us."
He says while the detection rate has improved, he was still not satisfied and vowed to continue working with his officers to reduce crime.
Smith said the number of daily patrols has also increased in the division as part of crime suppression activities.
He said, "The patrols have been increased from around 45 to about 64 or 64 patrols per day. This is what happens when all of our vehicles are working well and everything is in order. We have also been aggressively pursuing investigations so we are going after those priority offenders who are intent on shootings, woundings and murders."
He added that while roadblocks would cause some inconvenience to drivers and passengers, it was necessary to intercept criminals.
"We have AR15s and other automatic rifles moving in vehicles so we have to do what we are doing," Smith said.
Smith's revelations prompted applause from residents who packed the community centre's hall.
The North-Central Division is one of the most densely populated police divisions in Trinidad, extending from St Joseph in the west to Bon Air in the east.
Police in the past have complained of the difficulty in effectively policing the division given the sheer size and number of road networks.