The government has allocated $80 million for new police vehicles and has ordered the Commissioner of Police to triple the recruit intake next year, all in a bid to address crime.
Speaking during Monday’s budget presentation, Finance Minister Colm Imbert said the total number of active police officers is constantly affected by retirement, resignation and leave.
“To bring the service back to full strength, we have mandated the commissioner of police to triple the intake of recruits from the usual annual intake of 300 recruits a year to 1,000 in 2024.”
Imbert said officers will be trained at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre and, after school hours, at schools, in the interim, while the police academy is expanded.
He said the new vehicles the police are expected to acquire in 2024 will allow for the expansion and establishment of more community patrols and give citizens a greater sense of comfort.
Imbert added the government has awarded a $90 million contract for the supply, delivery, installation and commissioning of four large-scale non-intrusive inspection scanners for the Port of Spain and Point Lisas ports.
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