Com­mis­sion­er of Po­lice (CoP), Gary Grif­fith, says J’ou­vert cel­e­bra­tions this year were in­ci­dent free, and saw an in­crease in par­tic­i­pants, with a con­comi­tant in­creased po­lice pres­ence to en­sure their safe­ty and se­cu­ri­ty.

The top cop com­mend­ed cit­i­zens for their ex­em­plary be­hav­iour and their ob­ser­vance to the rule of law dur­ing J’ou­vert cel­e­bra­tions this morn­ing.

Police Commissioner Griffith and his men keep a watchful eye on revellers at the beginning of J'ouvert celebrations on Carnival Monday

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The CoP says that at 11 am, J’ou­vert cel­e­bra­tions were in­ci­dent-free. Sev­er­al per­sons were ar­rest­ed for mi­nor of­fences, and from all re­ports re­ceived, there were no life-threat­en­ing in­juries re­lat­ed to J’ou­vert.

He says there was a se­cu­ri­ty lock-down as thou­sands head­ed in­to Port-of-Spain for J’ou­vert. He says the suc­cess­ful se­cu­ri­ty op­er­a­tion dur­ing J’ou­vert au­gurs well for the rest of to­day and to­mor­row.

Police Commissioner Griffith meets Port of Spain Mayor, Joel Martinez, during J'ouvert celebrations on Carnival Monday

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Po­lice of­fi­cers con­duct­ed road checks at Co­corite, Curepe, San Juan, Mor­vant Junc­tion, Tu­na­puna, La­dy Young Road, the Beetham High­way, Pri­or­i­ty Bus' Route and East­ern Main Road, Laven­tille. Oth­er road checks were con­duct­ed across the coun­try.

The CoP says these checks were con­duct­ed to en­sure that the cit­i­zens and the vis­i­tors en­joy a safe Car­ni­val 2020.

Police Commissioner Griffith and his team on a security sweep during J'ouvert celebrations in the capital city, on Carnival Monday

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Ac­cord­ing to the CoP, there was a vir­tu­al ab­sence of per­sons seen or car­ry­ing glass bot­tles dur­ing J’ou­vert cel­e­bra­tions.

The Car­ni­val (Pro­hi­bi­tion of Glass Bot­tles) Reg­u­la­tions 2020 took ef­fect at 4 am to­day and will end at mid­night on Tues­day. The CoP wish­es to thank the sup­pli­ers and dis­trib­u­tors of beer and oth­er types of al­co­hol for their co­op­er­a­tion in hav­ing these drinks dis­trib­uted and sold in tins and plas­tic bot­tles.

Com­mis­sion­er Grif­fith says the coun­try ap­pears to have ac­cept­ed that the ban­ning of glass bot­tles was nec­es­sary as it would re­duce in­juries and pos­si­ble death.

Police Commissioner Griffith leads a team of police officers during a security sweep, as J'ouvert celebrations were underway in the capital, on Carnival Monday

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Com­mis­sion­er Grif­fith says that based on fig­ures, at­ten­dance at J’ou­vert cel­e­bra­tions sur­passed 2019. The CoP says that cit­i­zens felt safer and more se­cure by com­ing out in 2020.

The at­ten­dance fig­ures for J’ou­vert cel­e­bra­tions are as fol­lows:

* Point Fortin - 1,200

* San­gre Grande - 4,000

* Port-of-Spain and En­vi­rons- 70,000

* Tu­na­puna - 15,000

* San Juan - 1,900

* Ch­agua­nas and En­vi­rons - 9,000

* Ce­dros - 10,000

* San Fer­nan­do - 7,000

* To­ba­go - 8,000

* Siparia – 500

* Biche - 200

Com­mis­sion­er Grif­fith al­so con­firmed that po­lice of­fi­cers will be post­ed at every cor­ner in ar­eas where Car­ni­val ac­tiv­i­ties are hap­pen­ing. He says the po­lice will get op­er­a­tional sup­port from the De­fence Force.

He notes that the po­lice will be op­er­at­ing its drones dur­ing the Car­ni­val and there will be a Com­mand Cen­tre and oth­er Cen­tres in op­er­a­tion where re­al time in­for­ma­tion can be ac­cessed.

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith liases with senior officers during J'ouvert celebrations this morning

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Com­mis­sion­er Grif­fith al­so com­mend­ed po­lice of­fi­cers for their com­mit­ment to du­ty by turn­ing out in large num­bers for J’ou­vert. He says for the sec­ond con­sec­u­tive year, po­lice of­fi­cers re­spond­ed for du­ty across the nine Di­vi­sions.

He says the few who did not turn out for du­ty to­day, must re­port to the Of­fice of Com­mis­sion­er at 9 am on Thurs­day, 27th Feb­ru­ary, 2020, to ex­plain their ab­sence from Car­ni­val du­ties.