CoP: No gathering for election results

Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith says the police will be looking at the situation as results come in from the general election if large numbers of people assemble to get the election results.

He spoke as he visited the International School of Port of Spain, Westmoorings, where the Prime Minister and National Security Minister Stuart Young voted.

Griffith said "powerful" meetings were held with the major parties before their motorcades and meeting and also on election day.

“They have been briefed. They understand their role and responsibilities. The relevant organisers of these political parties understand their role and function so it is hoped that they adhere to what was agreed to.”

Griffith does not only intend to monitor bars and other spaces where it is expected people would want to assemble.

He said the police’s job did not stop after 6 pm but might have just started then.

“Just over half of the population will want to celebrate, just about less than half of the population would want to express their disappointment, and we cannot allow that to happen, especially in the bars and waterholes where people would want to celebrate or try to drown their sorrows.”

Griffith said a lot of work would be done in such places and asked the public to be as responsible as possible.

He said apart from those regulations there were other laws people needed to adhere to until 6 pm: no alcohol to be sold at bars, no paraphernalia, flyers, and no music trucks, among others.

Griffith said one or two radio stations had still been running political advertising, but had been contacted and had apologised.

He added that for Monday’s election it had been “so far, so good.” All the polling stations opened at the right time and there were no incidents up to the time of the interview.

He said police began operations at about 4 am and there was about a 95 per cent turnout of officers.

“We are basically out in full force.”

Griffith said the police used technology just as they had for Carnival and intended to operate during the election in a similar manner.

He added there were emergency response vehicles strategically placed throughout the country, with over 100 vehicles with cameras on them feeding straight back to the Operational Command Centre.