Senior Reporter
One year into his tenure as head of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Commissioner of Police (CoP) Allister Guevarro has earned high praise from Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander.
Despite public calls for Guevarro’s resignation over his handling of the Joshua Samaroo and Kaia Sealey case, Alexander yesterday gave the top cop a strong endorsement as he officially marked his first year in office.
Asked to assess Guevarro’s first-year performance, Alexander gave the CoP his approval.
Speaking to Guardian Media outside the Parliament yesterday, Alexander said, “Excellent, extremely excellent. He should be given an additional grade for his efforts. You know why? A lot of people are talking about trust and confidence, but that’s the same officer that took his initiative the other day when there was an issue with transportation, and there were people jumping in the police vehicle and having good conversation. That’s speaks to leadership.”
Excellent is effectively an A+ rating.
Alexander was referring to the three-day nationwide shutdown by maxi taxi operators last month, which caused transportation chaos for members of the public. This prompted Guevarro to utilise TTPS buses to transport stranded commuters home.
Guevarro was appointed Commissioner of Police on June 17, with his appointment taking effect from June 18, 2025.
Following the successful completion of his 12-month probationary period, Guevarro is expected to be confirmed in the post until retirement at age 60.
Guevarro is currently 50 years old.
Meanwhile, Alexander is calling on police officers to seek help if they experience any signs of mental health issues.
This follows the recent deaths by suicide of two officers.
Alexander said, “That’s something we have identified. We offer an opportunity for the people who seem to have an issue. But the first thing you have to do is identify that you have an issue. And once they do that, we often send them for outside help.”
On Tuesday, PC Yohanis Joseph, who was attached to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), allegedly took his own life at his home along Madoosingh Drive, Bois Bande, Sangre Grande.
PC Joseph was found lying in an unfinished concrete structure, bleeding from a head wound.
Responding officers found him still alive and rushed him to the Sangre Grande Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2.04 pm.
Two days later, 32-year-old Rafael Joseph was found naked and unresponsive in his cell at the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre (ECRC), Santa Rosa, around 8 am.
Joseph had been awaiting extradition to the United States in connection with an unfolding narcotics trafficking investigation.
However, Joseph’s relatives have roundly rejected claims that he reportedly killed himself while in the custody of prison officials.
Insisting his demise was the result of foul play, they are now pleading for answers from Prisons Commissioner Carlos Corraspe and Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro.
When asked if foul play was involved in any of the incidents, Alexander said he could not comment on it as the investigations are ongoing.
