In a wave of violent criminal activity that has rattled communities across Trinidad and Tobago, top law enforcement official Allister Guevarro, Commissioner of Police, has publicly stood by his officers’ use of lethal force in two police-involved shootings connected to residential robberies that unfolded within a single 24-hour window. During a press briefing held yesterday at the Port of Spain Police Administration Building, Guevarro made clear that any armed offender who confronts responding officers will be met with decisive, forceful pushback.
Against the backdrop of an active national state of emergency, Guevarro confirmed that the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) is operating at an elevated alert level, prioritizing rapid responses to every citizen report of criminal activity. In a striking reveal mid-press conference, Guevarro announced that even as he addressed reporters, officers from the TTPS Central Division were already on the scene of a third home invasion, which had already left one suspect dead.
“Unfortunately, as we speak, the police are on the scene of a home invasion in Central Division where another fatality occurred,” Guevarro stated, underscoring the ongoing urgency of the crisis.
Turning directly to organised criminal elements and their families, Guevarro delivered an unflinching warning, stressing that the state of emergency has shifted the TTPS operational posture to prioritize community protection. “We are in a state of emergency. The posture of the police in responding to the cries of the citizenry is elevated. Please warn your brothers, your fathers, your uncles, whomsoever…if you know you are involved in criminal activity, don’t arm yourself and go in people’s house,” he said. “Don’t arm yourself and go and rob anybody. Because my officers, when responding, will defend themselves against you, and the outcome may not be one with which your family would want to happen.”
Guevarro went a step further, urging family members of active criminals to take preemptive action to avoid deadly outcomes. “If you know your family have a gun, tell them, ‘Aye, go put it in a spot, call the police and let them come and get it.’ You know your family committing robbery…it is best that you report them to the police and give us the evidence to put them away than you have to go and bury them. Because they, in going to put a robbery down, will end up in a situation which may not come out or resolve well for them in the end,” he argued. Reiterating his core message, he added: “Do not go in people’s houses. That is the warning that should be going out there. It is not yours, don’t go and look for it. They are still lawful means to make money in this country.”
Guevarro emphasized that the string of recent shootings lays bare the extreme risk that armed home invasions pose to both frontline officers and innocent members of the public. “There have been two police-involved shootings linked to home invasions in the matter of hours, 24 hours, and this underscores for me the extreme danger posed by armed offenders who target people in their homes, whether occupied or unoccupied,” he explained.
For individuals who continue to target residential properties, confront officers, and spread terror across local communities, Guevarro said the TTPS’s message leaves no room for misinterpretation. “To those who believe that they could invade people’s homes, confront my officers and terrorise communities, the message is unmistakable. Armed criminality will be met with firm and immediate police response,” he said. “Stay out of people’s house. It is not yours, don’t go there.”
Beyond his warning to criminals, Guevarro called on law-abiding citizens to partner with the TTPS to curb violent crime, reminding the public that they can reach emergency services via the 999 and 555 hotlines, or visit their nearest local police station to report suspicious or illegal activity. “Citizens are reminded that early reporting saves lives. If you see something, say something,” he urged.
In a separate confirmation to local outlet Express yesterday, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) disclosed that 2024 to date has seen 18 people killed by police action across 14 distinct incidents.