New ACP to ‘immediately’ meet Tobago residents

Tobago Correspondent

The new ACP in charge of the Tobago Division, Oswain Subero, is expected to arrive on the island tomorrow and says he will hit the ground running.

Although he hasn’t officially received his appointment, Subero said he was already packing up to head to Tobago.

In a brief interview with Guardian Media yesterday, Subero said he will arrive on the island by tomorrow. He added that once he does, he will immediately begin to familiarise himself with the police officers under his command and also begin to “introduce” himself to Tobagonians.

Subero was previously assigned to the Northern Division. He replaces ACP Collis Hazel, who held the post for approximately one year and four months. Hazel will also begin his new posting as head of the T&T Police Service’s Tactical Unit.

Snr Supt Rodhill Kirk, who was the other senior officer in the Tobago Division, has been replaced by Snr Supt Earl Elie. He too is expected on the island tomorrow, but could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Kirk, meanwhile, will join the Southern Division.

Speaking to Guardian Media last weekend when news broke about the shake-up in the TTPS, ACP Subero said he was up for the challenge to help restore Tobago’s safety and security.

Subero said he planned to focus on violent crime reduction, building on his predecessor’s efforts. He said then that he planned to build on existing crime-fighting strategies and urged Tobagonians to support the police for effective results.

Crime in Tobago has been a major issue this year. At present, the island has seen a record 22 murders.

In response to the uptick in violence, police officers from Trinidad are now stationed in Tobago.

In July, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley met with Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and the heads of law enforcement in Tobago to discuss efforts to counter crime there.

Chairman of the T&T Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Tobago Division, Curtis Williams, has welcomed Subero to the island but also cautioned him saying the culture in Tobago differed from Trinidad and that Subero needed to focus on delivering results.