The recent terrorist attacks in Paris has posed new challenges to local national security agencies, says president of the International Police Association (IPA) Curtis Belford.
He was addressing more than 160 officers from 15 security agencies on Thursday afternoon at a ceremony marking the end of a four-day "Officer Safety" seminar at Naparima College, San Fernando.
It was titled "The next life you save could be your own".
Belford said one of the main goals of the seminar was to reduce the probability of death and injury to officers as they went about their jobs.
"I feel it necessary to remind you that law enforcement remains the first line of defence when confronted by international threats," he added. Seminar participant, Alloy Youksee, in his address said the lecture on terrorism stood out for him."
Youksee said terrorism posed a significant threat to T&T and he felt the information passed on from the seminar was quite relevant.
He said it would be tragedy of significant proportions if participants would return to their enclaves and not use the information.
There are new fears that international terrorists, ISIS, is at our doors with the return home of Trinidadian nationals who went abroad to train with the rebel group.
Captain Christopher Fox, criminal justice instructor of the US, in his seminar report described the event as a resounding success.
It was hosted by the US section of the IPA and the T&T Foreign Associate Region.
Officers from the Police Service, Immigration Division, Prisons Service, Airports Authority and a number of private security agencies took part.