Shane Superville
Senior Reporter
Deputy Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin has confirmed that 332 Preventative Detention Orders (PDOs) have been executed during the present State of Emergency declared on March 3.
He gave the statistics yesterday on PDOs executed up to June 7.
However, Benjamin, who is DCP in charge of Administration, said “much more” PDOs were approved by Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander.
But he was unable to confirm how many people were charged as he maintained that such information could be provided by Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro or DCP Operations Suzette Martin.
Guardian Media sought to contact both Commissioner Guevarro and DCP Martin but was unsuccessful up to press time.
Benjamin, however, vowed that the police service would continue to prioritise the safety of the public as the State of Emergency (SoE) is extended for another three months, noting that priority offenders would be targeted in anti-crime operations.
“The bottom line though, is the TTPS remains steadfast in terms of our objectives and our objectives are to ensure public safety in the midst of the SoE. We seek to warn persons who are found breaking or breaching the SoE. We will deal with them according to the law.
“We will be using the PDOs that will be very much a thing we are looking at and persons threatening the safety of Trinidad and Tobago, those are the persons we will be targeting.
“Persons should be totally safe and feel free because we will just be dealing with people who are threatening the safety, but we will be ensuring the freedom of expression and the freedom of the citizens are paramount in our minds.”
When asked how officers were coping with the extension of the SoE and the demands, Benjamin said that while leave was not restricted, it was being carefully managed to ensure that officers were given time to rest, without placing the service at a disadvantage.
“We know it’s a very stressful time and it’s going to continue at least for the next three months or so, so we are prepared to ensure that our officers really get the mental help that is needed through the social workers and the Victim and Witness Support Unit if we have to bring them in, in this situation as well.
“We are really trying to work for better conditions, so officers can feel more at home, more relaxed and have the time off to do some sports, some gym work, these are things we’re looking to beef up so there’s a holistic approach to ensuring the officers are getting the best.”
Guardian Media also spoke to acting Prisons Commissioner Carlos Corraspe, who said the prison service was also prepared to implement any policies and directives of the Government.
He also commended the work of prison officers in carrying out their duties during three successive SoEs since December 2024 to the present.
“I am very happy to say that our prison officers are performing in terms of the daily management of these detainees in a way that has been very professional and I urge our officers to continue to do this good work in relation to the safety and security of the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”
PDOs under previous SoEs
July 18, 2025 to January 31, 2026 SoE:
205 PDOs approved; 153 executed
December 30, 2024 to April 13, 2025 SoE:
50 detained under PDOs; 13 charged
