Griffith assures EBC of strong police presence on election day

COMMISSIONER of Police Gary Griffith has assured Chief Elections Officer Fern Narcis-Scope that there will be a strong and visible police presence across the country on the day of the general election.

Speaking on Tuesday during his meeting with Narcis-Scope and deputy Chief Elections Officer Lena Sahadeo at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain, Griffith said this visible police presence is aimed at deterring incidents of intimidation, voter suppression, bribery and/or illegal canvassing on election day, August 10.

The meeting which was also attended by Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayson Forde was held provide an opportunity for the two Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) officials to speak with Griffith about the role and responsibilities of the police in ensuring a free and fair general election.

Among the responsibilities of police will be providing security for EBC offices and sites and escorting election paraphernalia to be used by election officials onelection day.

Both Narcis-Scope and Sahadeo impressed on the top cop the need for police to assist election officials in ensuring citizens adhere to wearing face masks and carry out proper hygiene practises on entering a polling station.

Griffith, a police release said, will be overseeing election day police operations from the Commissioner’s Command Centre and there will be an open line of communication between him and EBC officials at all times in the event of any untoward incident taking place which needs to be dealt with.

He also said Emergency Response Patrol vehicles equipped with dashboard cameras will be deployed to large polling stations and provide the Command Centre with real-time video footage of the activities at these locations.

The commissioner and EBC officials are expected to meet again in the coming weeks, as they continue their close collaboration to ensure a smoothe and incident-free general election.