Residents of Enterprise, Chaguanas can look forward to a stronger police presence in their neighbourhood.
In a telephone interview yesterday morning, Acting Commissioner of Police Stephen WIlliamssaid the police would increase their presence in the commuinty, after severalreports that young men had been brazenly brandishing weapons, shooting and threatening commuters in the area.
According to Williams, the community was not previously seen as a high priority because it had recorded a relatively low, two murders in June and similarly low crime statistics for the year.
He said the aim of the heightened police profilewas to bring peace and comfort to residents by locating arms and ammunition and arresting criminals.
This is why a police presence has been set up in the community indefinitely, Williams said.
He said the main issue being focused on by the TTPS was the criminal network being managed in the area.
"In Enterprise the criminals have a network, where they use small walkie talkies and police cannot enter the area without the message being spread via these devices. These people with walkie talkies alert the other criminals and they are positioned at key locations," Williams said.
He said, while the police had internal mechanisms to deal with the issue of leaked information, his main priority was not to stop the leaks but to establish stronger police visibility.
"It won't be a matter of them warning the criminals that police are entering the community because the police will already be there, along with army support."
He said it was difficult for police to deal with the people warning the criminals as there was no legislation to allow police to seize the walkie talkies and obtaining a walkie talkie, which is a short range communication device, was as easy as walking into an electronics store and purchasing one.
"We are right now trying to ensure that we get the guns out of the area and that we can continuously work with law-abiding citizens."