Commissioner Allister Guevarro defended the Maloney closed-area order. He explained the permit process and curfew rules for residents.
PORT OF SPAIN — Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro defended the closure of the Maloney Buildings housing development on Wednesday and explained how permits, the nightly curfew and police operations will work while the area remains closed.
Guevarro said he invoked the Special Operations Act after reviewing intelligence, operational assessments and the legal requirements, following Monday’s video of gunfire that sent residents, including children, running for cover. Intelligence showed gangs were using the development as a refuge and that the violence was tied to older conflicts, he said. He said the law was followed and the threshold set by Parliament was met. Asked why Maloney and not other areas, such as the Central Division, where two women were killed in a spa, he said the intelligence pointed to something different and police had to act quickly.
On procedure, Guevarro said two police micro units have been placed at both ends of the area to serve as liaison centers. Residents and visitors can walk in to apply for permits, which can be for a single entry, and can give police information there. Officers will also use discretion for people entering or leaving, and people coming in will be told what is happening. A gazette listing groups exempt from the permit requirement was expected later Wednesday. The curfew runs from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., and people moving in or out during those hours are subject to police checks.
Asked about communication, Guevarro said police announced the closure in the community by loudspeaker, because not everyone has a phone or internet access. He said police did not publicize it more widely so that operations would not be compromised. Asked about fireworks seen in a video, he said he saw none when he visited at curfew time and suggested it was an old clip from the Divali period.
Guevarro said the closure will last for as long as lawfully necessary and declined to give details of current or future operations, saying operational security is paramount. He would not say whether anyone had been arrested or detained.
On rights concerns raised by reporters, Guevarro said officers are trained in human rights at recruit level and do not infringe on persons’ rights. He said all senior officers were sent for refresher training after the Act was proclaimed. He said police have a little over 100 usable body cameras, that they are used when available and that more are being procured. He was certain cameras were in use during the operation Tuesday night, though not every officer had one.
He also said a fatal accident involving a police vehicle on Tuesday night is under investigation. Senior Superintendent Avalon Frank will hold a community meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
This report is based on the Commissioner of Police’s media briefing.