On Patrol - Episode 3 Quarantine & Crime
Robert Dumas & C.O.P. Gary Griffith discuss quarantine & crime during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period.
Transcript
00:00 (dramatic music)
00:02 - Quarantine and crime.
00:05 Tonight we take a look at crime in this time of COVID.
00:09 Has the stay at home order
00:10 really kept criminals off the street?
00:13 Well, around the world,
00:14 preliminary data show a small decline in crime
00:16 during COVID-19 lockdowns.
00:18 Now, according to TTPS stats,
00:20 in the first three months of 2019,
00:22 there were 186 woundings and shootings.
00:25 Now for the same time period this year, 125.
00:29 There were 496 reports of burglaries and break-ins
00:32 from January to March, 2019.
00:35 Well, that's now down to 429 in 2020.
00:39 And 361 reports of general larceny
00:42 compared to 536 in the same period last year.
00:46 Now, keep in mind TNT began its first wave
00:48 of COVID-19 closures on March the 17th.
00:51 So once the final statistics for April come in,
00:54 we may see a further reduction in those numbers.
00:57 But reduced doesn't mean disappeared.
01:00 Trinidad and Tobago continues to record instances
01:02 of homicide, drug-related activities, robbery, cyber crime,
01:07 and as we've already discussed on this show,
01:10 domestic violence.
01:12 Additionally, we want to cast our lens on behavior,
01:15 though not illegal, maybe more immoral,
01:17 like price gouging, highway robbery, if you will.
01:21 I'm Robert Dumas.
01:23 My co-host for the night
01:24 is Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith,
01:26 and this is "On Patrol."
01:28 (dramatic music)
01:53 - First of all, the GB as the unit
01:58 in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service
02:01 is one which is mandated to provide executive levels
02:05 in providing daily tactical and PSU responses
02:11 where required throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
02:13 As a result of the pandemic of COVID,
02:21 we have been throughout Trinidad
02:23 in terms of providing that support
02:26 to the eight divisions thus far.
02:29 From our intervention, we started off
02:36 by looking specifically for persons and institutions,
02:41 businesses, in terms of paying particular attention
02:47 to the orders that have been established
02:52 in keeping with the regulations.
02:55 And I must mention that GB was the first to unearth
03:00 the persons who were operating bars out there
03:05 and would have brought charges against persons
03:08 against who to do.
03:10 We continue to do our daily patrols
03:16 in supporting conducting exercises,
03:19 anti-crime exercises in order to ensure
03:21 that people adhere to the regulations
03:26 that has been set out by government
03:28 in order to protect the citizens from COVID-19 pandemic.
03:33 And therefore, what we have been observing
03:40 is that persons, there have been some adherence
03:44 in different sectors, different communities
03:48 of Trinidad and Tobago.
03:50 However, in some instances,
03:53 we have had some persons really finding some
03:57 odd excuses in terms to be on the streets in our exercises.
04:04 And I think by and large, one needs to understand,
04:12 the population needs to understand
04:14 that the police services outside here
04:16 to reinforce measures in order for persons
04:21 to be safe and to stay safe.
04:24 And therefore, some of these excuses
04:28 as non-essential persons really is not doing,
04:33 really doing more harm to the population
04:36 and to us themselves than good.
04:39 - By some of the pre-curricular excuses,
04:40 as it relates to the persons on the street
04:44 is that they're going to have to do their business,
04:45 they're going to the grocery,
04:46 they're going to the pharmacy.
04:49 And the one guy, he stopped me,
04:50 he shows up, talks about (speaks in foreign language)
04:54 And then as it relates to some of the offenses,
04:57 some people, like for insurance,
04:59 some people thought they had an extension,
05:01 that the insurance was waived,
05:02 but it's not the insurance that was waived,
05:04 but the driver's permit that they were given the extension
05:06 until August.
05:09 So some people are just playing us as it relates to that
05:13 on the feelings of genuine excuse
05:15 and they're using for this situation
05:18 as to try to get away with anything.
05:20 - The new adaptation to the new life,
05:25 the way of the new normal.
05:27 Well, some persons put it as the new normal
05:30 and therefore in other circumstances,
05:33 we're hearing about the new adaptation
05:35 to what we need to be able to ensure
05:39 because it may not be normal for us,
05:41 but it's an adaptation to what you are now expected to do
05:46 as citizens as we get out there
05:50 in terms of trying to be safe.
05:53 And we really would want citizens to abide
05:56 by these regulations and to start getting accustomed
06:00 to these new mechanisms in order for us to stay safe
06:04 and to be able to.
06:06 - Now, seeing as you've been turning the diesel,
06:08 I've been out on a couple of missions with you guys
06:11 and I've seen from roadblocks to one or two with the raids
06:16 and it's a lot.
06:19 - On behalf of the senior (indistinct)
06:22 and by extension, the commissioner, police, the tank,
06:26 you also call the GB for coming out.
06:30 - And as you explained, it's not the normal for your charges.
06:35 This is something in addition they're doing
06:37 in order to assist with these crackdowns.
06:40 Is that taking a toll on your guys?
06:44 What's the moral like?
06:46 - Well, I must say that the members
06:48 of the Garden Emergency Branch are eager to be on the streets
06:52 because this is a new form of duties for them.
06:55 And therefore, I will not say that it is taking a toll,
07:01 but because we are prepared to work.
07:06 We work, these duties have been done
07:11 and continue to be done in different areas.
07:14 However, there's what I'd want to call,
07:19 look at in terms of, is it necessary
07:23 that we have to do these things in order to save lives?
07:27 Why should the police be outside there to be stopping people
07:34 keeping all these roadblocks,
07:36 to look at all these unnecessary issues
07:41 and challenges that are coming up before us
07:44 as we seek to police the nation,
07:47 which just seeks to be an educational aspect
07:50 as far as I'm concerned in ensuring that people comply.
07:55 You ought not to be there
07:57 and therefore every mechanism should be in place
07:59 for us to understand that,
08:00 that if you are not an essential worker
08:04 and you are not required to be outside there,
08:08 please stay home.
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09:43 - Hey, what are you watching there, mate?
09:45 - The latest Denzel movie.
09:47 The one that now showing in cinema.
09:49 - The latest?
09:50 But how you getting to see that?
09:52 The people who make that shit up here.
09:54 - It's a app I have on my Android box.
09:57 With that app, I get to see the latest movies
10:00 and best TV shows.
10:01 And here, what?
10:03 For free.
10:04 - For free?
10:05 You know they stealing, right?
10:07 - Talking about, boy.
10:08 - Boy, when these people take these movies and share them,
10:12 they stealing.
10:13 They sharing something that don't belong to them.
10:15 - Why hurting?
10:16 - By watching a little movie on my app.
10:19 - Big man, copyright is serious business.
10:22 If everybody do like you and watch movies for free,
10:24 like if it have no tomorrow,
10:26 what go happen to the movies business, boy?
10:28 It go bust.
10:29 And it's you and I to catch in the long run.
10:31 No more movies.
10:32 - I now understand what you're saying, you know.
10:35 - Right.
10:36 So have a conscience now, boy.
10:38 Watch the movies and name the legit way, nah?
10:40 - You don't know?
10:41 - Boy, you don't know, huh?
10:42 (upbeat music)
10:45 - Thank you for staying with us.
10:57 We're discussing COVID and crackdowns.
11:00 Now the commissioner has joined us on set
11:02 just to let you know that we'll be having a talk
11:04 to TNT segment just after the break.
11:07 And it's really important that we hear your calls
11:09 to get an understanding of what your thoughts are.
11:12 And of course, get the commissioner's view
11:13 and responding to your very important questions to us.
11:17 COVID and crackdown, commissioner,
11:18 thank you so much for joining us on set once again.
11:21 - My pleasure.
11:22 - It's a national staple,
11:23 something that you've mentioned to me once before
11:25 that you've never tried.
11:27 Today you would issue an apology on behalf of the TTPS
11:30 with regards to two shops being stopped
11:32 from selling pre-packaged doubles,
11:34 which to me is a bit, you know,
11:36 doubles to me, you know, it's a part of the cultural norm.
11:38 You stand up and you buy doubles, but it's working.
11:40 And you know, it was a mistake on behalf of the TTPS,
11:45 but surely officers may be getting confused
11:48 with the supposed loopholes in that particular clause,
11:51 clause five.
11:52 - Yeah, definitely.
11:52 Regulation 10, it is there.
11:55 It is specific to state what can and cannot be done.
11:57 But we need to understand what is happening right now.
12:00 This is not a state of emergency.
12:01 There are many blurred lines.
12:03 And on occasions, I have 10,000 police officers.
12:07 What we have seen now in social media,
12:08 social media is an avenue for every Tom, Dick,
12:10 and Harry Lal to give their view because they're experts.
12:13 - Keyboard warriors.
12:14 - Yeah, because they know.
12:15 It's easy to sit behind your armchair
12:17 and make stupid comments without understanding
12:19 the pressure my officers are going through
12:21 in these trying times.
12:22 Because they--
12:23 - Which according to you is a constitutional right.
12:25 - That's right, it is your constitutional right
12:26 to be stupid.
12:27 So the goalpost is shifting.
12:29 And this happens, it's a fluid situation,
12:32 and it is happening worldwide.
12:33 So we understand this.
12:34 The state, the government, they will continue
12:36 to make decisions on a day by day basis
12:39 based on the fluidity of it.
12:41 So because our goalposts will keep shifting every time,
12:44 it is gonna be very difficult for my police officers
12:47 to try their best to ensure that the laws will be enforced,
12:50 that regulations will be adhered to,
12:52 making sure that we do not cross over that line
12:54 of what is persuasion based on policies
12:58 and enforcement based on laws.
12:59 And then again, because of the,
13:02 from since I was a little child,
13:03 when you were known as tricky daddians,
13:06 every single person is finding a way to beat the system.
13:09 - So what specifically happened today?
13:10 - Well, but before I get to that,
13:12 let me give you some examples.
13:13 What we have to go through on a daily basis.
13:15 The law states that you can have
13:18 discount stores to be opened.
13:19 We have gone to clothes stores,
13:21 and they said, and I said, we say, why are you open?
13:23 They said, because everything is on sale,
13:25 so it's a discount store.
13:26 This is what we have to go through.
13:28 Another individual will put two mops,
13:30 a bucket and some electrical wire,
13:32 and say he's not a hardware.
13:34 An individual will be selling fish pies,
13:35 he will throw 10 loaves of crispbread,
13:37 and I'll say he's a bakery.
13:38 This is what we have to go through.
13:39 People are trying to beat the system.
13:41 And then let us look at the police officers.
13:43 In contrast to what people may believe,
13:45 we have 10,000 police officers
13:47 involved in a very heavy operation,
13:49 working night and day to try to save lives.
13:51 So there would be a situation where an officer may,
13:55 it may be difficult for them to understand
13:56 and make out that blurred line,
13:58 because it is easy for you to sit in your armchair
13:59 and to criticize the police,
14:01 because you don't have a clue about policing,
14:03 but you want to state what the police can and cannot do.
14:06 The officers, in my opinion,
14:07 that's why I apologize on behalf of the police officers,
14:10 because I understand the spirit of which
14:12 the government has made the regulation.
14:14 But then again, let us look from the view
14:16 of those few police officers who made this decision.
14:18 A decision was made to shut down restaurants.
14:21 So if the decision was made to shut down restaurants,
14:23 it's because you did not want, not just delivery service,
14:26 not just in-house dining,
14:27 but also to make sure that prepared hot meals
14:30 will not be cooked and distributed.
14:33 But then you do it, but you allow it in a gas station,
14:35 and you blame the police officer
14:36 because they stopped it at a gas station.
14:38 The officers are totally frustrated.
14:39 It is very difficult, because the lines are blurred,
14:42 and as it goes, as we go along, there would be mistakes.
14:44 There would be, you say that you should not have,
14:46 people should not be on the streets.
14:48 We have the roadblocks.
14:49 If you have the roadblocks,
14:51 an exuberant police officer might then tell the person,
14:53 well, listen, you need to go home,
14:55 even though you cannot stop them from going home.
14:57 So our officers are trying their best.
14:59 Please try to understand, it is, they are blurred lines.
15:02 It is not a case of black and white as a state of emergency.
15:05 It's a whole rainbow color out there.
15:07 - Well, as you mentioned, roadblocks, Commissioner,
15:10 you know, it's another touchy subject.
15:11 So what successes have you seen with these roadblocks?
15:15 And would this, is this something that you would continue
15:18 in some capacity past May 15?
15:21 - Yeah, again, because of the intensity
15:24 of us going up to this, let's say it now,
15:27 lifting it now to this color,
15:29 it makes it very difficult for the officers.
15:31 They're going on, they're going at a pace.
15:34 We don't know what is going to happen later on in the year
15:36 if there will be a call for a general election.
15:38 So it will be another two odd months
15:40 of the same intensity by the police service.
15:42 So it is very difficult,
15:44 but the roadblocks in this situation,
15:46 we can't do much more in roadblocks
15:48 because the number of vehicles on the road will be much less.
15:52 If you have an intensified roadblock,
15:53 you will get, if you remember the day of total policing,
15:56 you can't, when if you have intense roadblocks
15:59 and checking car by car,
16:00 you will have traffic congestion
16:02 going back for dozens of miles.
16:04 So situations like this, we can use this type of policing,
16:06 these type of operations.
16:08 It has proven to be very effective,
16:09 not just in trying to ensure
16:11 that there's a law of common sense
16:13 and try to police stupidity by persons
16:14 because it is their constitutional right to be foolish,
16:17 but what we are trying to do as well,
16:19 we try to get involved in law enforcement.
16:21 We have been able to acquire weapons.
16:24 We've been able to hold many individuals
16:25 where warrants have been outstanding for them.
16:27 You would have seen the situation over the weekend
16:30 where a vehicle actually drove off
16:31 whilst the police were actually involved in a roadblock.
16:34 Yeah, so it has proven to be very effective.
16:37 It has assisted us greatly.
16:39 Crime reduction has, people, I know people,
16:42 if something goes bad, blame the police.
16:43 If something goes good,
16:44 it is something external to the police service.
16:47 - So, you could speak to the, what's happening there?
16:52 We see that the officers are actually shooting
16:54 behind the person trying to escape.
16:58 - Yes, and again, when the individual was held,
17:01 we have the reports that a firearm was in that vehicle.
17:04 Had that individual fired, the officers fired back.
17:07 Had he been killed, then you would have heard
17:08 the little squeaky voice, "A little wicked!"
17:11 You would have heard it because you know,
17:13 the only time that people see anything
17:14 is when the police are around.
17:16 500-odd homicides that take place, no one sees everything.
17:18 Everybody's Stevie Wonder when individuals kill individuals,
17:22 but then everybody becomes Steve Austin
17:24 and Six Billion Dollar Man with a bionic eye
17:26 when the police shoot.
17:27 So, this here is just one of many examples.
17:29 I mean, all you have to do is just look at the firepower
17:32 that these individuals work with.
17:33 This is not just to, this is not to shoot manico.
17:35 - What type of weapon is that?
17:38 Is that, that's only AR-15?
17:40 - I want to, yeah, no, these type of weapons
17:42 is nothing that you would buy on a shelf.
17:43 This is the type of sophisticated weapon
17:45 that can do a lot of damage.
17:47 - It can't apply to you for an FUL for that?
17:48 - Yes, correct.
17:49 So, this is not over-the-counter weapons
17:52 that you will get in North America as easily as a sidearm.
17:56 So, what you're looking at now is the type of firepower
17:58 that can be used in virtual combat,
18:01 combat revolutionary warfare.
18:04 And when you start moving from nine millimeter rungs
18:06 to 5.56, 7.62 rungs,
18:09 you understand the type of firepower out there.
18:11 And we have had over 70 police officers shot at last year.
18:14 If you're looking at almost every week,
18:16 a police officer was shot at.
18:18 By the grace of God and by type of training
18:20 of our police officers, none were killed.
18:22 But then when we shoot back,
18:23 because we are properly trained,
18:25 we have the understanding of armed conflict.
18:27 We know how, we look at situations of cover from view,
18:30 cover from fire, how to deal with effective fire,
18:33 how to be able to get in a certain position
18:35 to make sure that you're not hit.
18:36 And we shoot back and then we hit someone, don't blame us.
18:39 - Commissioner, we're gonna take a short break.
18:41 And when we come back, of course,
18:42 we'll be asking the commissioner about COVID parties
18:45 and the tragedy, of course,
18:46 where a woman lost the life of a mother of three.
18:49 And we'll be taking your calls in our Talk to TNT segment.
18:51 Stay with us.
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20:04 (upbeat music)
20:07 - Thank you for staying with us.
20:15 I'm Robert Dumas.
20:16 This is On Patrol.
20:17 I'm joined by my co-host,
20:19 Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith.
20:20 We're talking about COVID and crackdowns.
20:23 Please, in a short bit,
20:25 we'll be taking your calls to speak to the commission.
20:27 The numbers are there on your screen
20:29 in our Talk to TNT segment.
20:31 Commissioner, before we went to break,
20:32 we of course were talking about roadblocks
20:35 and some of the successes that you've had,
20:37 the TTPS with getting firearms,
20:39 and in certain cases, some drugs and money off the street.
20:43 One of the things that has been a key thing last month
20:46 was of course the bust at Alicia's house
20:49 and a couple of other COVID parties.
20:51 And we saw of course one taking place yesterday
20:53 that resulted in the tragic death of a mother of three,
20:57 another person's injured.
20:59 Can you speak to that?
21:00 - Well, again, we continue to try our best
21:03 to deal with the situation.
21:04 And again, because it's not black and white,
21:07 rainbow colors, it makes it very difficult.
21:10 We get numerous reports,
21:11 and I wish to thank the public
21:12 because they provide the extra eyes and ears
21:14 to help the police service through either 555,
21:18 sending a video or a photograph to WhatsApp
21:21 to forward to Gary or the police app.
21:23 So we get a number of reports.
21:25 The vast majority, the majority of these reports, however,
21:28 it will emanate from a situation
21:30 where there'll be a household,
21:32 eight or nine persons making a lot of noise,
21:33 but they all live in the same house.
21:35 So all the persons, at least,
21:37 they have been staying there throughout the period.
21:39 There's nothing the police can do
21:40 other than the fact that based on EMA,
21:41 based on the noise, persons entering somewhere
21:45 to have a massive party,
21:46 that is something totally different.
21:47 - So another real gray area there for the police officers.
21:49 - Exactly, and that is what we have to keep going through.
21:51 And again, it goes right back to the situation today
21:53 where I apologize on behalf of the officers.
21:55 I'm aware of what the government wanted, again,
21:58 but if we have 10,000 officers,
22:00 certain officers will have a different perception.
22:02 That's where the public needs to understand
22:04 our officers are going through a very tough period here
22:07 trying to deal with the rainbow colors.
22:10 It's not black and white.
22:10 So at times they have to use common sense.
22:13 And the people who criticize the police officers,
22:14 let's look at common sense.
22:16 This is a flexible situation,
22:17 but if the police officer believes that the reason
22:21 why it is the restaurants were shut down
22:22 is because you do not want persons
22:25 to prepare cooked meals to deliver.
22:28 Maybe the officer who went there to a gas station
22:30 to sell cooked doubles,
22:31 he realized that all you're doing,
22:32 you're trying to beat the system of what the restaurants,
22:35 you stop the restaurants,
22:36 it means that the perception by the officers
22:38 that if the government didn't want that,
22:39 don't use the gas station as an avenue to do the same thing.
22:42 And this is what happens constantly.
22:44 People have alcohol mugs,
22:46 they have one little shelf selling two blocks of cheese,
22:47 and they say, "No, we are grocery."
22:49 So we are fighting a battle
22:50 because everybody is trying to beat the system,
22:52 and because remember in this case--
22:54 - So are you seeing a lot of parties taking place?
22:56 - Well, we come back to that.
22:57 So this is a situation where it is all typical
23:00 in Trinidad and Tobago,
23:01 it's all about me, me, me, my rights,
23:03 what I must do, why it is affecting me,
23:06 to the point of where it is I need to be in a party,
23:08 where it is my constitutional right to be stupid
23:09 and go somewhere else,
23:10 to my constitutional-- - To exercise.
23:11 - Yeah, my constitutional right to socialize,
23:15 is my constitutional right to buy cooked doubles
23:17 at a gas station.
23:18 And with all of these constitutional rights,
23:20 it comes in with regulation.
23:22 So it makes it difficult.
23:23 So the parties that we see right now,
23:25 people are being frustrated, especially young persons.
23:27 They need to find an avenue to burn their energies,
23:30 whilst not in any way putting their lives at risk.
23:33 - One of the things I'd like to,
23:35 you know that we've seen is the TTPS of course,
23:37 doing a hamper drive and giving out hampers
23:39 all over the country.
23:40 We saw SORT get involved as well.
23:42 What prompted that?
23:44 - Well, and that is when people misinterpret
23:46 that the only concept of policing
23:47 involves law enforcement, hard targeting,
23:50 deterrence, patrols, roadblocks,
23:52 arresting persons, taking them to court,
23:54 being involved in firefights.
23:55 It is much more than that.
23:56 Policing involves a very heavy aspect
23:59 towards community policing, dialogue,
24:02 working with different persons in the community.
24:04 Through the concept of the I support our service.
24:07 I mean, it has proven to be very instrumental
24:08 to get the public to buy, to work hand in hand
24:10 with the public, with the police service.
24:13 And again, to the police officers,
24:14 we're here to try to help persons.
24:16 Our job is not to just enforce the law,
24:18 but to save lives.
24:19 Many persons out there, they are very hungry.
24:21 They need help.
24:22 And that's what we're here for.
24:23 - Commissioner, we have a caller
24:25 from San Fernando on the line.
24:26 Caller, good evening.
24:28 - Good evening.
24:29 Good evening, Commissioner.
24:30 Good evening.
24:31 - Yes, good evening.
24:31 - Panel.
24:32 Commissioner, do you think that
24:35 because of the fact that people keep saying
24:37 the police cannot do this,
24:38 the police cannot do that,
24:39 the police cannot do it.
24:41 Is there a recipe for people to more disrespect them
24:43 as some of them have been doing?
24:45 Like when they're going to do the job.
24:47 Is there a thing as a recipe for people
24:48 to more disrespect them because of that?
24:50 - Good question.
24:53 I think it's more,
24:53 not they want to disrespect the police,
24:56 but they insist on their rights.
24:57 And again, let's go back to the gas station today again.
25:00 Throughout the period before,
25:02 Massey and other places had pre-cooked meals.
25:04 So it was there.
25:05 You ever saw doubles being sold in a gas station?
25:07 People are trying to find all innovative means.
25:09 Now, I'm not saying this is wrong.
25:11 That is business.
25:12 The concept of a businessman is to make money.
25:14 But when you're doing that,
25:15 whilst there are regulations,
25:16 and the police must try to find a way to enforce the law,
25:19 people will then say,
25:20 "You don't have a right to stop me.
25:22 "You don't have a right to tell me
25:23 "that I can't go to a party.
25:24 "You don't have a right to tell me
25:26 "that I cannot sell doubles in a gas station."
25:28 And the police officers now,
25:29 it makes it difficult for them to understand
25:31 what they can and cannot do.
25:33 If they do not do it,
25:34 we will then be told that you're not doing your job,
25:35 you're not adhering to our system
25:37 and law enforcement or policy regulations.
25:41 And if we do it and we go slightly overboard,
25:44 then we will be told,
25:45 "Listen, you have no right to have done what you did."
25:48 - Speaking about those loopholes,
25:49 let me just quickly read,
25:50 according to the latest COVID-19 public health regulations,
25:53 clause five states,
25:54 for the avoidance of doubt,
25:56 street vending of food and beverages
25:57 and all retail food services,
25:59 including restaurants, in-house dining,
26:01 and takeaway services,
26:02 except discount stores, which you mentioned,
26:04 markets, supermarkets, food stalls or shops,
26:07 vegetable stalls or shops, bakeries and parlors,
26:10 for the provision of food or other necessities or life
26:13 shall be closed for operation
26:14 during the period set out in regulation 10.
26:17 So, I mean, it means that any shop, like you just said,
26:20 could turn up and say,
26:21 "I'm gonna sell chicken and fries, doubles."
26:23 - And we become the bad ones,
26:24 because I'll give you an example.
26:26 The thousands of double vendors
26:28 have now been told, "You need to be closed."
26:30 But gas stations, now you could sell it.
26:32 How do the doubles vendors,
26:33 the hundreds of double vendors that have to be closed,
26:35 they will blame us,
26:36 because we are given a directive
26:38 that these booths must not be opened.
26:40 And if the booths are not open,
26:42 but because I own a gas station,
26:43 I could do the same thing that the doubles vendor is doing,
26:45 it is seen that the police are the bad ones.
26:47 We are trying our best to balance a situation
26:49 that is very difficult to.
26:51 - Commissioner, we have a call from Degomartin.
26:54 Good evening, caller.
26:55 - Good evening, Commissioner.
26:57 Good evening.
26:58 I want to compliment our police officers
27:01 who assisted me on Saturday evening.
27:04 I was called to assist my sister-in-law,
27:07 and when I came out,
27:08 they said it was 10 o'clock in the evening.
27:10 There was some police cars,
27:11 and they had apprehended a car that was being searched.
27:15 And I thought, "Oh, dear God, I'm in for trouble."
27:18 As I walked up to go to my car,
27:20 one of the police officers came to me and said,
27:22 "Ma'am, what can I help you?
27:24 "What are you doing?"
27:25 I said, "Listen, I've just come from assisting my family,
27:28 "and I'm on my way home."
27:30 That police, and there were about six of them,
27:33 saw me to my car, helped me into my car,
27:36 and said, "You just get straight home, go safe."
27:39 And I thought that was very sweet of them.
27:42 So when our police do good things,
27:44 we have to compliment them.
27:46 - Well, thank you, Kola.
27:47 We need to go to a quick, we need to have a quick break.
27:50 When we come back, of course,
27:51 we'll hear more from the Commissioner,
27:52 a message to the nation, and our closing comments.
27:55 Stay with us.
27:56 (upbeat music)
27:58 (upbeat music)
28:07 ♪ Please come out the door ♪
28:09 ♪ Anywhere, anyhow ♪
28:10 ♪ Road got getting low ♪
28:11 ♪ 'Cause I had 10 drinks in a row ♪
28:13 ♪ Head fat and I'm proud ♪
28:15 ♪ Bell mass in a crowd ♪
28:16 ♪ Wipes high like a cloud ♪
28:17 - Hey, what's up, everybody?
28:18 Ken Simmons here, owner and personal trainer at GoodFit.
28:21 And we understand that this time is a very stressful one
28:23 in this COVID-19 pandemic.
28:25 Most of you are complaining you cannot go to the gym.
28:27 Hence the reason we're gonna bring the action right to you
28:30 in the comfort of your own home.
28:32 So join us Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,
28:35 5.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. right here on CNC3
28:38 on all of our associated social media platforms
28:41 for the quarantine grit pump, okay?
28:43 So join me, Ken Simmons, and let's pump together
28:46 and stay fit and healthy, all right?
28:48 Stay home, stay safe, and let me get healthy.
28:51 Yeah, man, join me.
28:52 (upbeat music)
28:55 ♪ We don't party in vain ♪
28:56 ♪ But the life we don't gain ♪
28:57 ♪ Don't have no pride and no shame ♪
28:59 ♪ I don't care who call the name ♪
29:00 ♪ Transient again ♪
29:03 (siren wailing)
29:07 - Thank you for staying with us.
29:21 I'm Robert Dumas.
29:22 This is "On Patrol."
29:23 Of course, you heard the topic COVID and crackdown.
29:26 Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith,
29:28 my co-host for the night.
29:29 Commissioner, a message to the nation?
29:31 - Yeah, again, the Toronto Police Service,
29:34 I continue to state that we are human.
29:37 We are not perfect.
29:38 We come from society.
29:40 Our society is definitely not perfect.
29:42 And we expect it, however, to be at a higher standard.
29:45 But sometimes I wish, just wish some persons
29:47 could cut us some slack.
29:48 The officers are going through a very,
29:50 very difficult period here
29:51 where they're trying to balance a situation
29:54 that every single day, it's a shift in goalposts.
29:58 And if that is the case, please try to understand,
29:59 we are trying our best to be flexible
30:01 whilst making sure that persons can actually
30:04 do the right thing to ensure that their lives
30:06 can be safe and not affect the lives of others.
30:08 Help us to help you.
30:10 - All right, thanks again, Commissioner,
30:13 for joining us on "Patrol."
30:14 Also to you, the viewers,
30:15 and those who called into the program.
30:18 Now, the TTPS continues to do its part
30:19 to keep the citizens of TNT safe.
30:22 But remember, they can't do it alone.
30:24 So if you see something, please say something.
30:27 We're still 11 days away from a definitive statement
30:29 on the reopening of the economy
30:31 and the lifting of the stay-at-home order.
30:33 So now isn't the time to be complacent.
30:36 Trinidad and Tobago has done well to flatten the curve
30:39 and be an example to our Caribbean neighbors.
30:41 There's no need to be beaten with a big stick
30:44 to do the right thing.
30:45 Please stay at home, stay safe.
30:48 I'm Robbo Dumas, I'll see you next week.
30:50 (upbeat music)
30:52 - You're watching CNC3.
31:11 (upbeat music)