As of midday Tuesday, Trinidad and Tobago had 608 murders, making 2024 the deadliest year in its history.
This year’s murders eclipsed 2022’s 605. From Monday night to Tuesday, six murders occurred.
Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher has admitted to being disappointed that murders have reached a new record mark.
She made the comment in a statement late Monday night, even as six more people were murdered between Monday and yesterday, taking T&T’s murder toll to 608. The previous highest murder toll was 605 in 2022. The toll at the same time last year was 562.
In a statement, Harewood-Christopher said the killings had eroded “a significantly large amount of good work” done by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
“The criminal element in Trinidad and Tobago persists and continues to create opportunities for violent crimes to be committed. They have become more brazen and indiscriminate in their desperate attempts at maintaining their criminal enterprises,” Harewood-Christoper said.
“This will continue to be our challenge until such time that we succeed in diverting the minds of the criminal elements in our society, especially our young men, from the commission of violent crimes to more productive activities.”
She reminded the country that murders are not a police issue but a national one and as such, it is the duty of every citizen to help the TTPS reduce the murder toll.
“Let’s develop the courage and the confidence to do what is required,” she said.
“We must become more deliberate about the type of society we want, and work resolutely, collectively and purposefully to achieve that result. We simply cannot continue to condone criminal activities, or allow ourselves to be intimidated by the criminal elements.”
However, she gave the assurance that her officers will keep up their efforts.
