A specialised gang unit has been set up by Tobago police to address the worrying rise in murders and gang violence on the island.
ACP Collis Hazel, the head of the Tobago Police Division, revealed this and also promised a reduction in murders in 2024 through the efforts of this newly established unit.
The gang unit’s primary focus is to target gang-related crimes and violence, which have contributed to the record-high murder toll in 2023 of 13 murders.
Hazel emphasised the importance of having a well-trained and prepared unit to enforce the law and prevent gang rivalries from taking hold on the island. The unit is already operational and has begun its work to address this “urgent problem.”
“We need to ensure that we establish this gang unit so that we can be properly trained and ready to enforce any situation related to gang rivalry,” Hazel told Guardian Media in a recent interview.
Recognising the significance of reducing murders, especially in relation to the impact on the tourism industry, he added, “One murder is too much in this small island of Tobago, and therefore it is imperative for my position to ensure that we reduce murders in all forms.”
He said community engagement has been a key focus for the police, with officers actively reaching out to various stakeholders, including the business community, religious groups, and community organisations. Hazel stressed that the importance of working together and building trust to create a strong partnership in crime prevention efforts.
Looking ahead, Hazel said he remains optimistic about the future and the ongoing strategies to tackle crime. He mentioned the establishment of gang intelligence units and other programmes aimed at reducing crime on the island. He said it is evident that Tobago police officers are committed to ensuring the safety and security of both citizens and tourists.
In 2023, he said this stakeholder engagement has been a key focus for Tobago police.
“We have had our officers going out there and engaging churches, schools, village concerts, town meetings. They were meeting people...whereby they were able to sensitise them. Crime fighting is everyone’s business. Also, no longer do officers sit in our police stations and wait on people to solve crime.”
He said this approach has led to a crime detection rate of 34 per cent.
“Our serious crimes are down. But while we continue to share that, the public continues to be heavily vested in the murders being up. That’s what they are interested in, but serious crimes are serious crimes and will continue to be serious crimes. We cannot just be judged by murder alone.
“We need to look at that and make a cognizant view of the fact that at the end of the day we need to look at the policing holistically.”
In all of this, he said Tobago police have had some achievements this year.
One of the highlights of their efforts was the successful coordination of the Tobago Carnival, which saw the participation of over 27,000 people. The Carnival was hailed as one of the safest carnivals in recent years, with no reported incidents of crime.