Directly responding to threats to kill him Police Commissioner Gary Griffith yesterday promised his “wanna-be-killers” a “welcome gift.”
Speaking to the T&T Guardian yesterday, Griffith described the people behind the threats as “whimps” and dared them to “stop being a whimp,” “stop being a whimp (weakling or a coward) and grand charge by sending messages.”
“If they want me, they know where to find me. I would have a welcome gift for them on immediate entry,” Griffith said.
On Sunday at 8.25 am an E999 operator received a call from a bmobile number from a male voice that said: “we are coming to kill Gray Griffith.”
The call was then transferred to the E999’s police corporal to whom the caller repeated his “threat to kill Gray Griffith.” The caller then extended his death threat to the said police corporal.
The police corporal then immediately informed the relevant senior officers.
That same day at about 6.30 pm, after tracing the number, acting Insp Narace, Sgt Austin and party of police and Defence Force officers went to an apartment at the George Street, Plannings, Port-of-Spain to execute search warrants, however, the two people of interest were not there.
The officers acted on additional information received and went to another apartment on Nelson Street where they interviewed a woman, who the number was registered too. She gave the officers a black and red Blu cellphone and gave her number, which was the same that was allegedly used to call in the death threat. Both the woman and her 21-year-old daughter were taken into the Port-of-Spain CID for further questioning.
Up to late yesterday no one was arrested.
However, Griffith said he has no fear as having fear can cause a leader to make incorrect decisions in a conflict, “My training and experience in combat did not have a module to teach you to be fearful. I do not know what that feels like.”
Griffith then made a vow to continue with his mission in making this country safer and added that in doing so, it would involve making decisions that may affect the profit that many may have derived due to illegal acts, inclusive of the illegal weapon and drug trade, gang activity and white collar crime.
“But…I am not here to have such individuals like and support me. I expect them to hate me and I expect that some wish they could neutralise,” he added.