AN OFFICIAL ORDER has been issued to officers of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) to ensure that all policemen and women wear their bulletproof vests while on duty.
This order was given by acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams following the wounding of 25-year-old Police Constable (PC) Rondell Phillip, who was shot during an exchange of gunfire between police officers and bandits yesterday morning in St Augustine.
Up to press time yesterday, PC Phillip was in a serious condition at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, being treated for a gunshot injury to his chest as a bullet had punctured his right lung.
At the time of the incident, Phillip was not wearing his bulletproof vest.
Speaking to the Express yesterday, Williams said he had given a directive to all divisional commanders that officers operating in the field were mandated to wear their bulletproof vests.
“We continue to remind officers that bulletproof vests are protective gear not to penalise, but to protect them. So I will continue to encourage them to use them when on duty as we never know when a situation will occur when you can encounter a fire fight in the line of your duties. To that end, I have given a directive to all divisional commanders that all officers who will be operating on the field should wear their vests. I see it as important that all officers, whilst on duty, be fully prepared and protected,” Williams said.
However, TTPS Social and Welfare Organisation president Inspector Anand Ramesar, wants the acting commissioner to go a step further and institute penalties for officers who fail to follow directives to wear bulletproof vests.
“Given the circumstances, one of the issues that stands out to the association and its membership is the need to ensure that police officers wear their bulletproof vests at all times as a matter of duty,” said Ramesar.
“We want this to the point that it becomes a breach of discipline when officers either negligently or deliberately fail to wear their bulletproof vests. We are calling on the Commissioner of Police to issue the necessary order to the Police Service so that the wearing of bulletproof vests becomes compulsory, with penalties which reflect as such,” he added. (Trinidad Express)
