Wakanda News Details

Cops tell Trainline, St Augustine community: We’re here for you - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

While the relatives of murder victims prepare to leave Trainline Village, St Augustine, over fears of crime, Northern Division ACP Wayne Mystar says the police are still in control as he promised a "strong" police presence to prevent further bloodshed.

For the year thus far six Trainline Village residents have been murdered.

In January 16-year-old Darshan Ramnauth and Geno Shah were killed during a drive-by shooting.

In March 26-year-old Aneesa Ramkissoon was gunned down after she reportedly refused to pay a "tax" to criminals in the area.

On April 5, Daniel Riley, 21, was shot and killed at his Freeman Road home and his 16-year-old pregnant girlfriend was wounded.

On April 26, Dillon Joseph, who lived in Trainline Village, was also shot and killed while working at his watermelon stall on Caroni Savannah Road.

Last week night 26-year-old Kris Pooran was killed by gunmen as he walked past the wake for Joseph.

Speaking with reporters after a community confidence walk through Trainline Village on Wednesday, Mystar said while a temporary police post will not be constructed, "static" or stationary patrols will be implemented at different points in the community.

Trainline village is accessible from Freeman Road, which is south of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.

Most residents earn a living from growing produce or rearing livestock.

The neighbourhood can be accessed via several narrow dirt tracks which connect clusters of houses and sheds to Freeman Road through fields of high grass.

Mystar said he saw firsthand the challenges of securing the community from criminals given the different points of entry but was confident the stationary patrols and foot patrols would restore order to Trainline Village.

"I don't want to say we will be living inside here, but we will definitely be spending a lot of time in the community.

"Whether it takes us two weeks, three weeks or a month, we'll be spending some time to normalise this community.

"What we want to do is to empower the neighbourhood.

"There will be a static patrol that will be there every single day.

"We will be mandating our community police officers, to have a foot patrol presence.

"It is going to happen consistently until it reaches a point where the community is back to normal."

[caption id="attachment_1015524" align="alignnone" width="1024"] ARRESTED: A suspect who was wanted for several months, is taken away after being arrested on Wednesday as he literally walked in on officers who were on a walkabout in Trainline, St Augustine. PHOTO BY JEFF MAYERS -[/caption]

Mystar said while the police were prepared to maintain order and protect citizens, he maintained it was a shared responsibility as he called on residents to partner with officers in taking a stand against criminals.

He said anti-crime operations in Trainline Village would also be supported with the establishment of a Police Youth Club and stronger community relations through neighbourhood watch groups.

"Because of our resources, it's impossible to be in every single

You may also like

More from Home - Trinidad and Tobago Newsday