T&T Police to get water canon for crowd control

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

A water cannon for crowd control will be among $4.5 million worth of equipment to be bought for the police to help maintain public order, said Minister of National Security Edmund Dillon yesterday.

He was grilled on the budget’s $2.32 billion allocation to the TT Police Service by Members of the House of Representatives in the Standing Finance Committee.

Chaguanas East MP Fazal Karim had asked Dillon details about the mundane-sounding sub-head, “Purchase of Equipment for the Police Service”, allocated at $4.5 million, significantly up from last year’s revised estimate of $1 million. Dillon gave details of the $4.5 million, in an almost offhanded manner. He said, “Public order equipment such as canister grenades, projectiles, water cannon, a number of different equipment. It also includes mobile tracking units.”

His reference to “canister grenades” is thought to refer to a tear-gas grenade, smoke grenade or thunder-flash that emits a loud bang and a flash of light, while “projectiles” are thought to mean plastic bullets. Dillon did not elaborate on other devices to be bought as “a number of different equipment.”

Karim later told Newsday, “I was quite surprised to hear the response of the Minister of National Security on the $4.5 million that it is to be used for that. I was expecting surveillance equipment or improved technology to help in crime detection, unless this is an emergent or emerging need for expenditure.”

Karim thrice asked if any money was allocated to build a police station at the hotspot of Enterprise, Chaguanas, but the replies from Dillon and Finance Minister Colm Imbert left the question hanging.

While Karim had asked about Enterprise in relation to a $400,000 allocation to “Supplemental Works - Phase 1 Police Stations”, Imbert merely replied that Enterprise was not covered under that particular sub-head, but did not indicate if it was included under any other subhead. For the purchase of new police vehicles, Imbert said the $1.5 million “development” allocation is supplemented by $14 million in recurrent spending (the same as 2017).

Regarding the $1 million payment of compensation to families of members of the protective services killed on duty, Naparima MP Rodney Charles asked if the $3 million allocation in “recurrent” meant that the lives of only three such deceased officers would be compensated? Apparently referring to last year’s allocation of $4 million, Imbert replied that Police Commissioner Stephen Williams has asked that the other $1 million be transferred to other subheads.

http://newsday.co.tt/2017/10/17/police- ... d-control/

[*$kїđž!™]

PNM government preparing for riots

[2NR Smurf]

Wow....

[moving]

das for infront imbert house

[wickedtuna]

Bathe big Mac

[teems1]

I could see this being used to control people who keep burning rubbish and blocking the road.

[The_Honourable]

The buffer getting thin... the 1% and their investments needs to be protected.

[Les Bain]

Prepping for the level of social unrest the government's non plans going to create?

[shake d livin wake d dead]

So yuh buy one hose...wat if it have to big protest in two different areas???? This govt yes...

Y d mc deh din use that $ to buy some cars for ttps or some kinda sheit...

Ah betting dillon great uncle tender to buy that hose and ah food was eaten

[ADONI]

Better get a link up to supply water for the water cannon truck...

[ismithx]

sounds like a waste of money, sure they could have done better with that money

[Redman]

I guess it's better than him saying that they buy a 50 caliber for crowd control.

Smh...

[originalbling]

Whatever happened to the APC's the last government ordered or planned to order?

[Slartibartfast]

Are they expecting trinis to start rioting soon? I wonder why?

Hmmmmmm....... interesting

[The_Honourable]

Gary Griffith purchased 6 armored personnel carriers (APCs) back in 2014.

Men who agree with Griffith then will be against Dillon now for the water cannon. And those who was against Griffith then (some with outright conspiracies) will want to know what is the problem now.

I am for equipping the security services. My question is if the cost is a realistic market value or if somebody will attempt to get a cut from the contract.

[rollingstock]

I'm gonna have so much fun.

[j.o.e]

Gary Griffith purchased 6 armored personnel carriers (APCs) back in 2014.

Men who agree with Griffith then will be against Dillon now for the water cannon. And those who was against Griffith then (some with outright conspiracies) will want to know what is the problem now.

I am for equipping the security services. My question is if the cost is a realistic market value or if somebody will attempt to get a cut from the contract.

Stop talking sense. This is 2nr ole talk.

[pugboy]

So what happen to them fire hose pumps like what they use a jouvert parties ?

[Slartibartfast]

Gary Griffith purchased 6 armored personnel carriers (APCs) back in 2014.

Men who agree with Griffith then will be against Dillon now for the water cannon. And those who was against Griffith then (some with outright conspiracies) will want to know what is the problem now.

I am for equipping the security services. My question is if the cost is a realistic market value or if somebody will attempt to get a cut from the contract.

Those APC were meant for raids in those dangerous areas if I recall the rumours correctly. Those dangerous areas where the roadways too small for them to pass, far less turn around.

I am uninformed on this topic btw so don't take my word for it.

[ronsin1]

But they doh have water for then fire truck how they getting water for this

[shake d livin wake d dead]

They doh even have water for the public far less this...

[bluefete]

I'm gonna have so much fun.

[bluefete]

They doh even have water for the public far less this...

But they doh have water for the fire truck how they getting water for this

Why are you both asking intelligent questions? This is an ole talk forum.

[Sōsuke Aizen]

Rowley: It have flood all over Trinidad and Tobago.. what nonsense you telling me about no water for the canon.

[sMASH]

Gary Griffith purchased 6 armored personnel carriers (APCs) back in 2014.

Men who agree with Griffith then will be against Dillon now for the water cannon. And those who was against Griffith then (some with outright conspiracies) will want to know what is the problem now.

I am for equipping the security services. My question is if the cost is a realistic market value or if somebody will attempt to get a cut from the contract.

Hear dis, armored vehicles is to protect the passengers from an attack.
Water cannon is meant to attack a crowd, Usually a crowd of civilians to disperse them.
The reason why they attack with a non lethal weapon is because usually the group of civilians will not have committed any real crime, but the gathering is deemed a threat. And must be removed.


Water cannons will not be used to apprehend criminals

[King2995]

Firstly, just for my own peace of mind, it would be highly appreciated if folks refrain from using the term 'non-lethal' devices for any of this equipment being procured. Frankly, the use of any excessive force can be lethal.
At the right angle, that water cannon's stream can break a neck. It can rip open a face.... or gouge an eye.
Projectiles (rubber or plastic bullets and bean pouches) to the throat will crush your windpipe. A shot to the chest can disrupt heart rhythm.

The correct term is 'less-lethal'. This may seem to be semantics to some but for the ignorant in our society I choose to not have them troubled by the buffoonery of believing that 'dem thing cyar kill nobody'.


Ok, that being said, my real concern is handing these said devices to a Police force that is already swimming nose deep in a pond of disrepute and is struggling to drag themselves up onto the bank of public confidence.

The good fellow Dillon said these are intended for public order, but as noted above these devices can incapacitate and cause harm. So users of these devices must practice restraint just like for any other weaponry.
Police having them in their possession doesn't mean they should jump at putting them to use.... other options must still be explored before resorting to these devices.

.....and therein lies my issue. I do not yet have the confidence that our Police is professional enough and has that restraint within them to not casually use these on non-threatening members of our society.
Even our officer's ignorance (real or claimed) can fall victim to these devices being 'non-lethal'. [Hopefully it is understood what was meant in parentheses]

[wickedtuna]

Wetting after wetting

[RedVEVO]

Dilly Boy planning to be chief supporter in a dictatorship ..

Dilly Boy is NOT to be trusted .

He is a total failure .

[MaxPower]

Why not acid?

[BUSHMASTER]

These politicians really doh know wat to do again to thief money...billions for NS n dis is wat dis fool guna waste money for