Following a series of robberies and the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Matthew Chancellor in Tabaquite at the weekend, residents of the community have renewed calls for the reopening of the Brasso Police Station.
This call appears to have been heard, and yesterday, acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin stated that the Brasso Police station would be reopened next week.
“Yes. By next week, we will be opening the Brasso Police Station and I am also pleased to say that within a short space of time, we would be opening the San Raphael Police Station so that we can give more service to the citizens of T&T,” Benjamin said.
He made this announcement following a news conference at the police administration building, Edward Street in Port of Spain.
Speaking with reporters after a fire alarm triggered the evacuation of the building, Benjamin said that he was unable to say exactly why the Brasso police station had been closed.
“I can tell you that some of the situations clearly showed that because of the number of offences, it was minimal and because of the strength, that could be one of the reasons…Nevertheless, we recognise at this point in time, given the optics in violent crime there, we need to ensure that we have a greater presence and therefore, as the Commissioner of Police, I have taken it upon myself to open it,” Benjamin said.
He said that he hoped the reopening of the police station would lead to increased police visibility in the area, and faster responses by officers, and as such would have a positive impact on crime in the area.
He emphasised that this was not a sole direction from his office, but rather a “continuance of execution” as plans were put in place to reopen the Brasso police station by suspended Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher.
The Express also spoke to Head of Central Division Police acting Snr Supt Ian Carty yesterday who said the Brasso Police Station will be reopened in two weeks and once reopened, would be fully resourced.
“I have a date, but I don’t want to divulge that date yet, but I spoke with the (acting) Commissioner of Police and I believe that in about two weeks’ time the station should be opened,” he said.
He added that the station would be manned by police officers.
“It is going to be adequately resourced. The station is going to have the requisite manpower and the resources that are needed in order for the station to function effectively. It is going to be adequately staffed,” he continued.
Criminals sucking residents dry
Chancellor was fatally shot near the Tabaquite Recreational Grounds on Saturday morning.
This followed a series of crime incidents and robberies which began on Friday night, which saw several residents of the area being robbed at gunpoint.
No one has been held for the murder.
Yesterday morning Chancellor’s father Maxwelo Chancellor spoke with reporters at the Forensic Science Centre in Federation Park where he reiterated calls for the Brasso police station to be reopened.
“We need to get back our police station in Tabaquite. We have too many innocent people in the area, and these criminals are taking advantage. They are coming into the community to intimidate, interrogate, rob, loot and kill people. And all this is happening in part because the police station not there so police have a longer way to reach and to respond. And it have a lot of roads from Brasso to Gran Couva. A lot of escape routes. So we need back our station…Right now these criminals are living, bleeding and sucking the residents dry. The place gone in Tabaquite because we lacking police, and the bandits are rampant,” Chancellor said.
He said that the community has been “under siege” over the last few months with several robberies being reported.
And now, sadly, with his son’s death, criminal elements had added murder to their list.
He described his son as a loving and caring individual, who was always smiling and had “bright eyes”.
He said his son’s personality drew persons towards him.
