The Emancipation Support Committee (ESC) has written to the Police Service Commission (PSC) calling for the removal of Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs for what it is claiming is "unacceptable racist behaviour." The call comes after Gibbs at a media briefing at the National Security Ministry last Friday said the police had to sort through all the people (arrested) and evidence obtained so far "so who's who in the zoo will take a little work." Gibbs' comment came after Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said the structure of local gangs was copied from their American counterparts with some having a board of directors in their big business operations. "That is unacceptable racist behaviour It is unforgivable for a foreigner from Canada to be talking about our people, whether innocent or guilty, as though they are animals," Kambon said at a press conference yesterday at the ESC's Bergerac Road, Maraval, office. "Gibbs must now apologise to the people of T&T for his racist and contemptuous remarks and resign from our country's Police Service where, clearly, a person who sees our youth in such a light is not fit to hold office," Kambon said.
A news release from the director, Public Affairs Unit of the Police Service yesterday afternoon said Gibbs made the zoo comment in response to a question from the media on how many gang leaders were arrested. "The commissioner was explaining that police officers were continuing their investigations and sorting through intelligence and evidence that would help to categorise persons as to their hierarchical positions in a particular crime group," the release said. "The statement made was not intended to cause any offence, disrespect or demean any group in T&T."