Senior Reporter
Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro has defended his decision to use of the Special Operations Act in Maloney, saying intelligence reports pointing to escalating gang violence left him with little choice but to act.
Speaking at a media briefing at the Police Administration Building in Port-of-Spain yesterday, Guevarro said he would make no apology for using the legislation to protect residents and prevent further bloodshed.
The President invoked Section 11(1) of the Special Operations Act on Tuesday, declaring the Maloney Buildings Housing Development a closed area. The declaration was published in Legal Notice 847 of 2026, while Legal Notice 848 imposed a nightly curfew from 9 pm to 5 am.
The move came a day after a video circulated on social media showing a gunman firing indiscriminately in the presence of residents.
Guevarro yesterday said he received the footage on Monday and immediately instructed Senior Superintendent Avalon Frank, commander of the district, to take action.
“It was not merely a recording of a criminal act, it was a visual representation of ordinary citizens, law-abiding citizens, being terrorised,” he said of the incident seen in the video.
“It showed women running for cover. It showed little children fleeing in panic and it showed a community being held hostage by criminality. No citizen in Trinidad and Tobago should live with that.”
He said the situation was becoming increasingly volatile, with gangs using the housing development as a refuge.
“Intelligence also indicated that these incidents were linked to historical gang conflicts which, in the past, have resulted in fatal, reprisal and protracted cycles of violence. Most concerning to me was the fact that innocent citizens were being caught in the crossfire,” he said.
The deployment of police and members of the T&T Defence Force prompted questions about why similar measures were not implemented in the Central Division, where two women were killed at a spa and an attorney was murdered at the end of October.
However, Guevarro said the intelligence surrounding Maloney presented a different threat.
“We had to act quickly,” he said.
He declined to say whether intelligence reports pointed to imminent retaliatory attacks or further escalation, maintaining such information could not be made public.
Guevarro said he personally visited Maloney after the curfew took effect and found residents largely supportive of the operation.
“I heard gratitude. I heard relief. And I heard residents saying that for the first time in a long time, they’re feeling safe,” he said, adding many residents had been living in fear of armed criminals and welcomed the increased presence of police and soldiers.
Although he acknowledged the restrictions had caused inconvenience for people entering and leaving the community, he insisted the measure was justified.
“I make absolutely no apology for taking any and all reasonable and lawful measures necessary to save lives,” he said.
He also defended the decision not to announce the operation in advance, saying doing so would have compromised the element of surprise.
He said police used a loudspeaker mounted on a patrol vehicle to notify residents in the development, recognising that not everyone had access to television, mobile phones or the Internet. However, he said authorities deliberately avoided wider public announcements.
“I hear people complaining about communication and I am bewildered as to whether or not they wanted me to announce to the criminals that we coming in the area to lock it down. Let good sense prevail and let the police do their job,” he said.
“What I can say is that law enforcement and security agencies must be permitted to conduct their duties unhindered and without interference.”
Despite those assurances, the lockdown left residents seeking clarity on travel arrangements, permit requirements and access to the community during curfew hours.
Guevarro said two micro-police units had been established at opposite ends of the development to serve as liaison centres, where residents and visitors could obtain permits and communicate with officers.
People were free to move during the day, he said, but anyone seeking to enter or leave during curfew hours would be subject to police checks.
“The simplest method utilised is walk into the micro police unit and apply for a permit. They will be able to issue you a permit,” he said.
Addressing concerns about accountability, Guevarro confirmed that not all officers involved in the operation were equipped with body-worn cameras. He said the TTPS currently has “a hundred and something” operational cameras and was in the process of procuring additional units.
“I am certain that there were body cams there last night, but not all of the officers would have been afforded the opportunity to have them,” he said.
He also revealed that senior officers underwent refresher training on human rights and other provisions of the Special Operations Act following its proclamation.
Guevarro declined to say how long Maloney would remain a closed area, saying only, “The operations of the police with regards to the Special Operations Act are dictated, and I want the public to hear this, by your behaviour.
“That is one piece of legislation I had in my toolkit that I wish I didn’t have to use. Honestly, I wish I didn’t have to use it, but just know that I am prepared to use it.”
