Former Trinidad and Tobago Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has issued a forceful demand for transparency regarding approximately 1,200 body-worn cameras acquired during his administration that remain unused. This call comes amid growing public outrage over a controversial police shooting in St. Augustine that resulted in the death of Joshua Samaroo and left his common-law wife Kaia Sealy paralyzed.
The incident, captured on CCTV footage that has since gone viral, shows Samaroo with his hands raised in what appears to be a surrender gesture moments before officers opened fire. This visual evidence directly contradicts the official police account that claimed officers were fired upon during the January 20th encounter.
Griffith emphasized that the body camera initiative was specifically designed to prevent such contentious situations. “Twelve hundred body cameras for 7,000 police officers is more than adequate,” he stated, explaining that his administration had established strict operational protocols requiring officers to activate cameras during all patrols, roadblocks, and operations. The system included accountability measures where officers signed for equipment and supervisors verified proper usage.
The former commissioner accused current Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro of deliberately ignoring standing orders mandating camera use. Griffith further questioned why multiple accountability measures implemented under his leadership—including tasers, pepper spray, online reporting systems, a police app, GPS vehicle tracking, and live feed cameras—had been discontinued.
In a concerning revelation, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander disclosed to the Senate that a $24.9 million contract for 3,000 additional body cameras had been terminated to cut costs. Commissioner Guevarro later justified this decision by claiming the contract involved inflated prices, with cameras priced at $8,000 per unit compared to market rates of $2,500-$3,000.
The Police Complaints Authority has joined the call for body camera implementation, stating that such technology would “enhance accountability, transparency, and public confidence in policing.” Public trust in the police service has dramatically declined from 59% during Griffith’s tenure to just 8% according to recent surveys, highlighting the urgent need for reform.