PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has expressed concern about the increase in police-involved fatal shootings since the declaration of the State of Emergency (SoE) one week ago.
The PCA issued a statement following reports that stated that since the SoE was declared last Friday, five men have been killed during confrontations with police.
“In the five days since the State of emergency has commenced, there have been five incidents of police-involved fatal shootings. The PCA is actively monitoring these occurrences and is committed to thoroughly investigating each incident, by its legislative mandate. The PCA remains steadfast in its role as an independent oversight body and continues to call for accountability, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law in all police interactions with members of the public, particularly in periods of heightened security operations,” the release said.
According to Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander, while all threats must be taken seriously, threats directed specifically at national security officers carry different implications.
These officers are individuals who have chosen to protect and serve, and defend their country, while others prefer a life of crime. It doesn’t add up,” Alexander said in an interview with Trinidad Express.
When asked if he had concerns about the number of people killed in confrontations with law enforcement over the last six days since the SoE was declared, he said he had none.
He also challenged critics of the State’s pre-emptive law enforcement actions.
“Are they saying that we should wait until the threats have been carried out first, before we act? Should we wait until people have been injured, hurt, or even killed? Or should we seek after those who are making the threat before they do anything that can endanger or harm law-abiding citizens?”
He said the Government intends to “defend this nation by any means necessary”.
Alexander also said he found it curious that concern was being raised about the number of persons killed in confrontation with law enforcement. Yet, there was what he described as silence when murder rates spiked over the last decade.
“For the past ten years, murders after murders after murders. Sometimes we saw 80 in a month,” he said. “Yet when confronted by law enforcement, there is an uptick. The officers will respond when they are confronted by the criminal elements who, because of their behaviour, continue to invite their deaths.”
In response to possible criticism from oversight bodies, Alexander said, “They can say what they want. Tell me, who were the ones threatened? Was it not the police and prison officers? Was it anybody else? People never know it till they feel it. Currently, the police and prison officers are under the most pressure. They are the ones who are directly in the line of fire. Who are under threat? So as long as law enforcement continues to act within the limits of the law, they will have the full support of this Government to defend and protect themselves.
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