The reason we need a foreign CoP

[UML]

Police, criminals 'working arm-in-arm'
By Akile Simon
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Pol ... 13764.html

Story Created: Sep 12, 2010 at 12:39 AM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 12, 2010 at 12:39 AM ECT

POLICE officers assigned to an elite unit known as the Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force (ROPTF) are alleged to be in collusion with—and, in some cases, controlled by—gangs in East Port of Spain.

And acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams says he is aware of such allegations regarding one officer attached to the unit, but did not know of other allegations linking ROPTF officers to gang members.

A Sunday Express investigation conducted over the past two months into the unit's operations, follows upon allegations of gross misconduct against ROPTF officers by Laventille residents following the "kidnapping" of Keon "Guts" Glasgow in April this year. Glasgow, a Laventille resident, was taken by ROPTF officers.

To date, there has been no word on the whereabouts of the victim, and an investigation launched by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad into the incident is yet to be completed.

Residents had staged a fiery protest, demanding ROPTF officers say where they took Glasgow. Visiting the residents a few days later, then acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert and Deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes heard the residents' complaints of misconduct against the ROPTF.

Supt Edward Castillo, of the Port of Spain CID, was assigned to the unit's office, upstairs the Besson Street Police Station, to manage its affairs. He was subsequently called back to duty at the CID front office.

The latest allegation against the unit followed the arrest, less than a week ago, of a 29-year-old Beetham Gardens gang leader, wanted by police for the past five years in connection with more than 20 gang-related murders in the East Port of Spain community.

The arrest was made on September 4 at a house at Beaulieu Drive, Trincity, by officers of the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) and the Northern and North Eastern Division Task Force. As it turned out, the lease agreement for the rented house carried the name of a female police officer as the lessee.

This female officer's name also appears on the insurance for a Hyundai Tucson, a vehicle that was being used by the suspect. Police said the suspect, when questioned, said the female officer was his cousin.

The Hyundai Tucson was seized earlier this year by the Stolen Vehicles Squad and brought to the CID office. A well-known criminal was caught driving the vehicle in Port of Spain. The officer came and collected the SUV, and told officers she had loaned the vehicle to the man, a source said.

The Sunday Express was told the officer is also the relative of another gang leader who operates in the Bath and Basilon Streets, East Dry River, Port of Spain area, and is linked to the Beetham gang.

"He (Beetham gang leader) came into the (Bath Street) area and started to run things since Fresh (Kerwin 'Fresh' Phillips) get lick down a few years ago. Both ah them (Bath Street and Beetham gang leaders) is riding partners.

"This thing real serious up here, and they have ah lot of police connections so yuh better know who yuh talking to cause you too could be ah dead man," a Bath Street resident said.

"Let's put it this way, the officer is the sister of a notorious gang leader and a close associate of another gang leader, and both gang leaders are good friends. We also understand that there are several other officers connected to these two deadly gangsters," an arresting officer commented.

"She there several years now and the seniors (officers) knew that she was connected to these gang members, because reports were submitted, but nothing was done about it," one officer said.

Police also believe the officer may have leaked classified information regarding issues of national security to known criminals since she was subsequently transferred to another unit which dealt with criminal matters of a sensitive nature.

In another instance of allegations of collusion between ROPTF officers and gang members, sources said two reports, sent to the office of acting Commissioner of Police, then James Philbert, document an alleged incident in which an officer of the ROPTF tipped off a gang leader minutes before police turned up at his Bath Street apartment.

The Special Anti-Crime Unit of T&T (Sautt) on December 17, 2009, arranged an exercise which included officers from the CID, ROPTF, the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Port of Spain Division Task Force, to raid the gangster's Bath Street apartment.

The suspect was wanted for questioning in connection with multiple gang-related murders and shootings.

When officers got to the suspect's apartment, he was just about to leave the premises. Checks on his cellphone showed that five minutes before the officers arrived, the suspect received a phone call from a number assigned to the ROPTF office at the Besson Street Police Station.

The conversation between the caller and the gangster was also recorded; the officer was identified. Both the CID and Sautt submitted separate reports on the incident, sources said, but no action has been taken in the matter.

Police officers said up to yesterday, this particular officer was still assigned to ROPTF.



The 'killing squad'
Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force:
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/The ... 13759.html

Story Created: Sep 12, 2010 at 12:39 AM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 12, 2010 at 12:39 AM ECT

THE Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force has been described as "the killing squad" within the Police Service and has been linked to various drive-by shootings and murders.

In February 2008, Sean "Saud" Allen, 29, was shot dead just as he emerged from his car to enter his Koon Koon Trace, Malabar Trace, apartment. The victim's girlfriend, who was also in the vehicle, was shot in the leg by the assailants, who drove by in a heavily tinted Nissan X-Trail SUV.

The registration number for that vehicle was recorded by eyewitnesses and allegedly traced to an ROPTF vehicle. To date, the vehicle is still assigned to the unit, and is regularly seen parked outside the Besson Street Police Station, sources said.

The vehicle's registration number was passed on to police and then Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Crime, Gilbert Reyes, who had direct control over the unit. He said an investigation was launched into the matter.

In 2008, two Laventille men were shot dead, and another wounded, while travelling in a vehicle near the Fernandes compound in Laventille. The men had just returned from a boat cruise when a heavily-tinted SUV pulled up alongside their vehicle and opened fire.

The incident was allegedly recorded by a nearby surveillance camera and the licence plates—also said to be captured on tape—showed the vehicle was assigned to the ROPTF. That incident it was alleged was a reprisal for an incident in which a relative of an ROPTF officer had been murdered in Laventille.

ROPTF officers have also been accused of being linked to a double-murder, in which two Laventille men were picked up by police near their homes and their bullet-riddled, decomposing bodies found along the North Coast Road in Maraval days later, in 2009.

A Diego Martin man was allegedly shot and killed at a house in the presence of other relatives, by ROPTF officers, less than an hour after the man was released from police custody at the St Clair Police Station. Relatives, as well as other police officers, have claimed that the victim was unlawfully killed by the officers.

Two years ago, Crime Stoppers received information from a female employee of a business in Sangre Grande that a shipment of cocaine had arrived at the business place. By the time a team of Eastern Division officers were assembled and arrived at the establishment with a warrant to search for the items, it was too late, sources said.

Information on the intended bust, picked up by ROPTF officers, it was alleged was communicated to the business owners, with whom ROPTF officers had also been conducting illegal "extra duties". The officers have been providing unauthorised protection for the businessman and family, using police-issued firearms and vehicles, sources alleged.

Sources also noted that, on a 24-hour basis, ROPTF officers provide security for three night clubs in the Sangre Grande area and one in Valencia. One of the clubs is owned by a ROPTF officer, sources again alleged.

One source claimed two Fridays ago, a patron at one of the Sangre Grande nightclubs was severely beaten by an ROPTF officer after the victim got into an altercation with another man at the club.

Several ROPTF officers were transferred from the unit earlier this year after they were seen in photos, posted on Facebook, allegedly socialising with well-known kidnappers on a boat cruise down the islands.

Sources noted that ROPTF officers have also been identified in running URP ghost gangs in East Port of Spain and Beetham Gardens which have allegedly been given to them as "gifts" by gang leaders.

—Akile Simon

[Morpheus]

That is one of the reasons I think a foreign COP should be given a chance. He has no friends and should not have to worry about "stepping on toes". A foreigner will not have to worry about who Asst. COP son involved and who MP calling him to say the person in custody is they great aunt brother niece stepchild.

Corruption and crime on the whole too over the top to even think about local vs foreign COP. We want results!

kthxbai

[UML]

wah worrying is that they have complaints....did reports...and nothing being done...nobody getting reprimanded WTF!!

[Rainman]

Read about it this morning, it's despicable really. Blatant corruption.

[VexXx Dogg]

Who will guard the guards?
That is why I call for severe punishment to officers who break the same laws that they are upholding.

[brickman]

Doh worry,Ian alleyne go hot dem up bai!

[monkeyman]

Police is the biggest criminals in trinidad,i hope this commish deal with them.

[buzz]

That is one of the reasons I think a foreign COP should be given a chance. He has no friends and should not have to worry about "stepping on toes". A foreigner will not have to worry about who Asst. COP son involved and who MP calling him to say the person in custody is they great aunt brother niece stepchild.

While that may be very true, how is he to effect change with those who don't cooperate with him ? The corruption in the force has to be stamped out first before we can see any real drop in crime rates ( as stated in the article "dem fellas have connections" ). IMO if the foreign help has to work any time soon, we should have hired foreign police as well since they, like gibbs have no ties to this country

Its rooted very deeply in our culture, how's he gonna do it ? fire officers from the top go down ? (btw does top cop have this authority ?) If so who's gonna replace them ?

We needed to get a move on fixing our system first before we jumped up and got foreign CoP. Which begs the question/s;

Is it another smoke screen ? - They said he and his deputy can be relieved of their duties should they fail to perform 1) If they are in fact removed, who is gonna replace them ? a local ? another 2 month fight down to get another foreigner ? 2) What are the key performance indicators ? so far i haven't heard what they are gonna measure their performance by ! Higher detection rates ? Higher conviction rates ? (lets not even start with the snail paced judicial system) Lower murder rate ? ( which many of tuners used as an instrument to measure crime )

Was it political pressure that forced the PP into making hasty, poorly planned decisions ?
After all they won by a landslide, obviously ppl were fed up of the PNM's mis management, unaccounted blatant corruption and massive squander of tax payers dollars among others BUT their chapter is closed for now, with good reason but if you're appointed to fix the problem, i believe you should do just that i.e. do it right...

Can't say i'm surprised, a politician is a politician it's his job to b/s...

*Flashback May 24th*

"Vote today and we shall race on Saturday!!1!"

i mean really

some tuners buy dat chain like if de man is dey daddy dat promise dem a bike for christmas

[Morpheus]

I didnt say that was the final answer. Of course the system needs cleaning out. Maybe the COP would be the catalyst for that to happen. Local puppets would have been afraid to even make a suggestion(for the good of the force and citizens) that would not sit well with the authorities. Yes pawns...

[Morpheus]

some tuners buy dat chain like if de man is dey daddy dat promise dem a bike for christmas

Man the amount of CHAIN-UP I see tuner as well as ordinary citizens take is ah shame. People does STILL fall for PP....(Platform Promises)?? That goes for all parties eh...

[RBphoto]

Who will guard the guards?
That is why I call for severe punishment to officers who break the same laws that they are upholding.

You know they just going to get transferred... as if that is a punishment.

[VexXx Dogg]

The situation we found ourselves in as a country did not happen overnight. As such it cannot be fixed overnight. We need to work together as a people to dig ourselves out of this mess. If it is, in fact lost to this generation, then we need to work hard so that the next generation will not face the same problems of today.

[buzz]

some tuners buy dat chain like if de man is dey daddy dat promise dem a bike for christmas

Man the amount of CHAIN-UP I see tuner as well as ordinary citizens take is ah shame. People does STILL fall for PP....(Platform Promises)?? That goes for all parties eh...

indeed

To think that in this time ppl would have kept their eyes on the priorities. To think many cast votes only to try and help themselves... sad

The situation we found ourselves in as a country did not happen overnight. As such it cannot be fixed overnight. We need to work together as a people to dig ourselves out of this mess. If it is, in fact lost to this generation, then we need to work hard so that the next generation will not face the same problems of today.

agreed

[UML]

Probe coming
Allegations of corruption in Repeat Offenders Programme, says Williams
By Akile Simon akile.simon@trinidadexpress.com
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Pro ... 49209.html

Story Created: Sep 12, 2010 at 11:50 PM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 12, 2010 at 11:50 PM ECT

ACTING COMMISSIONER of Police Stephen Williams said yesterday that allegations reported in the Sunday Express regarding the Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force, (ROPTF) were serious and he intends to get to the bottom of the issue.

The allegations against ROPTF officers, a crime fighting unit in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, came to the forefront after an investigation conducted by the Sunday Express regarding the actions of officers assigned to the unit.

The two-month probe was initiated after allegations of gross misconduct against ROPTF officers by Laventille residents following the kidnapping of Keon "Guts" Glasgow in April this year.

Glasgow, a Laventille resident, was allegedly taken by police officers.

To date, there has been no word on the whereabouts of the victim, and an investigation launched by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad into the incident is yet to be completed.

Residents staged a fiery protest, demanding officers, allegedly attached to the ROPTF, say where Glasgow was taken.

Visiting the residents a few days later, then acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert and Deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes heard the residents' complaints of misconduct against the ROPTF.

Williams, in a phone interview yesterday, said the allegations were very serious in nature and will be dealt with almost immediately.

"The (Sunday Express) article has raised serious allegations in relation to a unit of the police service (the ROPTF), and as the head of the organisation, I will treat the matter with the greatest of urgency, to address the complaints. I will deal with it in a very efficient and effective manner," Williams said.

Attempts to contact president of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Welfare Association Sgt Anand Ramesar for a comment on the matter proved unsuccessful as calls to his two cellphones went unanswered.

The Express understands that all the officers assigned to the unit were yesterday instructed to report to Commissioner Williams's office at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain this morning.

Some of the allegations suggested that officers assigned to ROPTF were in collusion with—and, in some cases, controlled by—gangs at Beetham Gardens and Bath and Basilon Streets, East Port of Spain.

It is also alleged that officers from the unit have been fingered in multiple homicides along the East West corridor, and one particular officer last November, tipped-off a known gang leader about an exercise in which other police officers were on their way to arrest the suspect at his Bath Street, East Dry River apartment.

ROPTF falls under the CID, which is temporarily headed by Supt Wayne Boyd of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in the absence of Snr Supt Glen Hackett, who is out of the country attending a training course in England. In the past, the unit reported directly to retired acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes, who was then head of Anti-Crime Operations of the police service.



so cat get big mouth tongue now?!!!

[Lance]

For $2500.00 they would have stopped being corrupted.

[crazychinee]

For $2500.00 they would have stopped being corrupted.

uh huh....

[UML]

35 officers sent on immediate 'leave'
Following allegations of gross misconduct:
By Akile Simon akile.simon@trinidadexpress.com
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/35_ ... 31334.html

Story Created: Sep 13, 2010 at 11:53 PM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 13, 2010 at 11:53 PM ECT

THIRTY-FIVE officers assigned to the Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force (ROPTF) were yesterday sent on administrative leave with immediate effect by acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams.

The Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU), headed by Acting Snr Supt John Martinez, was then given full control of the ROPTF. Martinez and Acting ASP Sahadeo Singh, of the Besson Street CID, were then mandated by Williams to conduct a full-scale investigation into allegations of gross misconduct against ROPTF officers.

Speaking with the Express yesterday after the promotion of 79 officers, Williams confirmed a probe had been launched into the allegations, highlighted in an exclusive Sunday Express article over the weekend.

"Any allegations of corruption or serious allegations against police officers are something which we address as a matter of priority," Williams said.

"The police executive would have addressed the issue surrounding the Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force, and we have in fact launched an investigation, which will in fact be headed by Snr Supt Martinez, with a clear mandate to complete a total audit, assessment and complete investigation in relation to all matters relating to allegations that have been highlighted against the Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force."

Asked about investigations that were initiated in the past by retired acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert and retired acting deputy Commissioner of Police Gilbert Reyes, regarding allegations of misconduct at the ROPTF, Williams said he had no information on such matters.

Martinez, the man who led a contingent of CIU officers to the St Joseph Police Station last year, where a stash of guns and ammunition and drugs were found hidden in the station's ceiling, was given a mandate of 30 days to complete the probe and submit it to Williams.

When the Express visited the Besson Street Police Station yesterday, ROPTF officers were seen packing bags with their personal belongings into their personal vehicles.

The latest action came on the heels of allegations against ROPTF officers, a crime-fighting unit in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, made in an investigative piece published in the Sunday Express.

The Express understands that some of the ROPTF officers yesterday refused to hand over sensitive information to CIU officers during the handing-over process upstairs the Besson Street station. The automatic doors to gain access to the building are expected to be changed later today, as a hand-picked team from the CIU starts their probe, the Express was told.

Guns, ammunition, vehicles and other assets used by the unit were seized by CIU officers, but the ROPTF officers were allowed to keep their personally-issued service pistols.

"From captain to cook (from the ROPTF) were sent packing yesterday, and it looks like Mr Williams really serious about regaining public confidence in the police service, and these types of measures are sometimes necessary," a senior officer told the Express.

Williams described allegations raised against the unit as serious and on Sunday, instructed that the officers meet with him at his office yesterday. During the meeting, a police source said, Williams informed the officers that he was sending them on administrative leave for one month, pending the outcome of the probe into allegations of corruption at the unit.

The Express started a two-month investigation after allegations of gross misconduct against ROPTF officers were made by Laventille residents following the kidnapping of Keon "Guts" Glasgow in April this year. Glasgow, a Laventille resident, was allegedly taken into custody by ROPTF officers, and to date has not been seen or heard.

Residents had staged a fiery protest, demanding that officers, whom they claimed were attached to the ROPTF, say where Glasgow was taken. Some of the allegations suggested that officers assigned to ROPTF were in collusion with and, in some cases, controlled by Port of Spain gangs. It is also alleged that officers from the unit have been fingered in multiple homicides along the East West corridor, and have tipped off known gang leaders about exercises about to be conducted.

[eliteauto]

it's a start

[Morpheus]

^^Indeed. That's better than transferring them!

[UML]

Police 'robbing squad' accused of stashing away gold, cocaine
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Pol ... 20814.html

Story Created: Sep 18, 2010 at 11:54 PM ECT

Story Updated: Sep 18, 2010 at 11:54 PM ECT

ALLEGATIONS OF misconduct against police officers have surfaced yet again, this time against a Robbery Squad unit within the North-Eastern Division.

Sources said the unit, which is being disparagingly referred to by fellow officers as the "robbing squad", are said to be linked to items—gold jewelry, cash and in some cases, even cocaine—which go missing when the officers visit homes of citizens to carry out searches.

Sources pointed to one case which it is alleged involved a search at a home in El Socorro, a week ago, in which a kilo of cocaine was found. The cocaine was not brought back to the home station of the unit nor lodged at the property room. No one was ever held nor charged in connection with the possession of the drug, it is being claimed.

Other officers in the North-Eastern Division only became aware of the missing cocaine when the man whose house was searched contacted an officer and enquired about the drug. The man claimed the robbery squad cops had visited his home and discovered the drug, but to his surprise, had left with the item, leaving him safe and sound in his house.

Officers of the robbery squad were summoned to a meeting by head of the North-Eastern Division, Snr Supt Theophilus Cummings, and questioned at length about the cocaine allegations.

Sources said the robbery squad told Cummings that the narcotic was lodged at the Forensic Sciences Centre and Cummings asked them to produce documentation showing that the drugs was at the Centre.

"Sometime later, they produced some kind of document, no one knows where they got it from showing that the drugs was at Forensics. But checks show that it was never lodged with the property keeper," a source claimed.

The question to be asked also, noted the source, is that if the drug is at the Forensic Centre, who was charged for being in possession of it?

Th source said victims of the robbery squad were reportedly threatened and were afraid to come forward and report the wrongdoings and theft at their homes.

The source also point to another instance where a man was said to have been held with a gun by the officers and told that he had to pay $100,000 to avoid being charged. Sources claim this man has, to date, paid a considerable sum of cash to the officers.

These latest allegations come on the heels of a Sunday Express exclusive investigation that last week exposed alleged gross misconduct at the Repeat Offenders Programme Task Force.

Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams last week sent 35 officers assigned to the unit on immediate leave for 30 days, pending the outcome of an internal probe and an audit at the unit.

Dwayne Gibbs, the man expected to be later this week officially appointed Commissioner of Police, last week told the Express that he was concerned of allegations of misconduct levelled at police officers.

Gibbs, who arrived in the country last night, in a previous interview said he supports a panel consisting civilians and police officers to probe allegations made against police officers.





sunday is file bussing day!!

[biggy82]

^^Indeed. That's better than transferring them!

yea, but they still getting full pay

[UML]

one billion dollars of cocaine leaves chaguaramas in yatch for spain

1.5 tonnes of cocaine

[UML]

similar buss in 2008 in another yatch

[Morpheus]

^^Indeed. That's better than transferring them!

yea, but they still getting full pay

True. Innocent until proven guilty I guess. The problem is how long they take to "wrap up" investigations. Them getting 2 extra months salary ain't that bad but if "investigations" take 12-18 months then that's where we get the hurt

[UML]

of course these cocaine bust were done not by local police enforcement but by the Spanish and British

[UML]

Chaguaramas named in $830m drug bust off Spain
...Three men quizzed on Trinidad contacts
sampson nanton
Published: 24 Sep 2010
sampson nanton

British and Spanish police are investigating why 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, worth close to $1 billion, left Chaguaramas earlier this month aboard a yacht headed for Spain. The yacht was traced across the Atlantic Ocean by satellite after it left Trinidad until Spanish Police intercepted it on Monday. The drug haul showed similar signs to one of the biggest drug cases in Ireland two years ago, which also had strong links to T&T. The La Flibuste yacht, a UK-flagged vessel, was moored at Chaguaramas earlier this month before leaving with the cargo of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a false roof of two of the cabins.

The cocaine is worth a staggering 83 million pounds sterling, which at today’s exchange rate amounts to TT$830 million. As it left Chaguaramas it was traced by satellite and tailed by British intelligence Officers. On Monday, officers of the Special Operations Unit, of the Spanish National Police, raided the vessel some 120 miles of Cadiz, Portugal, and transported it to Spain. Three men, a Spaniard and two Frenchmen, are being questioned about from whom in T&T they collected the drugs and how they managed to make it out of the country undetected. Spanish police are saying further arrests may follow soon.

The operation, which was carried out with the co-operation of British police, began early this month when police became aware of the yacht moored in Port-of-Spain, according to a statement issued by the Spanish police. Spanish police say they were informed the yacht had cruised off Trinidad just under a month ago and was heading for a Spanish marina. It is not clear whether local law enforcement officers played any part in the tip-off. Intelligence agencies in Spain and England are probing deeper because of the similarity between this bust and one in 2008, in which the exact amount of cocaine was also found on a yacht that originated from Trinidad. That yacht, Dances with Waves, also was tracked from Trinidad across the Atlantic by a US spy satellite.

It developed engine trouble off the coast of Ireland before being intercepted. Three men who were arrested and tried in that matter were said to have travelled to T&T, via Spain and Venezuela, and bought the vessel In T&T. In 2002 a British court was told several politicians from Trinidad were said to have had a close alliance with a British millionaire-drug-pusher, who was at the time in hiding from British authorities. Those reports were carried in the local media, identifying a number of places in Chaguaramas, said to be responsible for the outfitting and loading of cocaine on vessels for overseas delivery. The court had heard cocaine was moving from Latin America, through Trinidad, to small seaports in southern England. A yacht, known as the Sea Mist, was interdicted in Ireland and 599 kilos of cocaine were discovered by Irish customs.

The captain of that vessel, John Ewart, who was subsequently sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for illicit drug-trafficking, reportedly told the international press the Sea Mist was outfitted and loaded in Chaguaramas. The court also heard that in conjunction with the Sea Mist a series of yachts left their Chaguaramas anchorages laden with cocaine and even heroin for England and ports in Europe. Two other vessels also were given similar treatment at Chaguaramas. They are the yacht The Aquarius, with 226.6 kilos of cocaine for delivery to Antigua in 1994, and The Obsession, with over 200 kilos of cocaine destined for Britain in 1996. Local intelligence authorities are said to be closely working with their international counterparts on Monday’s bust.