As the reign of the Merry Monarch takes centre stage from 4 am today, continuing into tomorrow, acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams is assuring that all mechanisms are in place to ensure Carnival 2015 is safe and incident-free. In an interview yesterday, Williams also promised an “unprecedented” number of officers not only on the streets of Port-of-Spain and highways but throughout the country.
He said the Police Service Social and Welfare Association had also remained committed to ensuring its membership will be out in full force over the next two days. Saying yesterday that officers continued to give their best despite trying circumstances, Williams added, “The association has very publicly signalled officers are committed to providing security during this period.
“In the history of the Police Service and in an event such as Carnival, officers would continue to give of their best and be out in their numbers to ensure the safety of citizens.” Last week the association’s president, Insp Anand Ramesar, said officers were fed up with the slow pace of salary negotiations and the failure to address their safety concerns. He said this not only resulted in low morale in the organisation, but officers had also threatened to withhold their services during Carnival.
After the Carnival festivities are over, however, Ramesar said if negotiations are not adequately addressed officers will resort to taking matters into their own hands. On criticisms of insufficient officers during previous J’ouvert celebrations, Williams yesterday denied this saying there has always been a large complement of police in large crowds for activities such as J’ouvert.
“There would be more plain-clothed officers rather than uniformed ones in J’ouvert. We would not put a uniformed officer in the middle of a crowd. That is illogical,” Williams said. He also urged people to refrain from wearing excess in public, as they could become easy targets for criminals.
“People who are out in the public during Carnival come out to have fun and enjoy themselves but they are still required to act responsibly and guard against exposing themselves to the risk of persons targeting them in a crowded environment. “We must also remind people that carrying a weapon is totally prohibited and we will not accept any minor excuses like people carrying a knife to peel oranges,” Williams added.
Police Carnival safety tips
When attending parties and other activities be reminded that you should:
• Wear minimal jewelry
• Travel in groups to and from activities
• Not carry around or display large amounts of money
• Not have wallets and change purses visible
• Not accept drinks from strangers or leave drinks unattended
• Prearrange transport arrangements and designate an alcohol-free driver
Parents and guardians are reminded that their children should:
•All wear identification cards bearing their name, name of parent/guardian, address and telephone number
• Not be left unsupervised at home
• Not be left in the charge of strangers
• Not use public conveniences unless an adult accompanies them
• Not accept food or drink from strangers
• Not be taken to fetes, calypso tents and other adult shows
When leaving home:
• Ensure that you secure your premises
• Secure all ladders and other implements in a locked room
• Not leave keys in mailboxes or under door mats
• Notify the police if you would be away for long periods
• Teach your children to lock the doors when they enter
• Ensure that the property is illuminated at night
• Be observant when returning home, especially at night
When driving to fetes and other activities be reminded that you should:
• Ensure that your vehicle is properly secured
• Use paid car parks whenever possible
• Not overcrowd vehicles
• Not drink and drive
• Lock doors when vehicle is in motion.
• Notify the police whenever you observe any strange activities around vehicles
• Not leave vehicle unattended with keys in the ignition
• Not leave your vehicle unattended with engine running
• Not leave valuable items exposed in your vehicle
• Be cautious of people loitering near traffic lights
• Have your keys in hand when you approach your vehicle
• Be vigilant at all times when returning home, especially at night and if you are travelling alone