Cops seek Interpol help in keeping foreign rioters away from summit

(Trinidad Express) – International police have been called in to help the local national security services keep “career rioters” and “professional protesters” at bay, while this country hosts the Fifth Summit of the Americas.

The business community is also being urged to step up its security. And the police will be armed with tear gas.

These are just some of the precautions being employed by local police to deal with the challenges of providing protection for this hemisphere’s Heads of States and the average man on the street for the upcoming summit.

Speaking to the Express, gold commander Steve Waldron, the senior police officer at the head of summit security, said: “We are working with Interpol to identify those groups and individuals who enter countries during these events for the mere purpose of protesting and upsetting public order, and we are putting mechanisms in place to prevent them from coming here.”
Lt Col Kenrick Maharaj, director of Security for the Fifth Summit of the Americas, specifically in charge of operations, planning and co-ordination, told the Express in an exclusive interview that the police were taking into consideration any possible scenarios that could disturb the peace and upset public order during the three days when all eyes will be on this country.

He said that within a week and a half the citizenry would see the presence of more security forces perusing the streets in preparation for the summit.

Sources have confirmed that the summit security operations will include over 500 officers manning the streets of Port of Spain and over 600 officers from Caricom, the US and Canada working with local foot soldiers to ensure that dignitaries are taken to their embassies and hotels with little disruption.

The security strategy has been given the code name “Operation Caribbean Shield”.

Sources have said the delegations attending the summit will be quite large this year-the US contingent has over 1,000 persons, Venezuelans up to 200 people, Brazilians with at least 50 people, and the Canadians with an entourage of over 100 persons.

Overall, 33 heads of states and their teams will need to be moved from Piarco International Airport to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain and several other locations throughout the country over the three-day period.

With all these visitors in town and at least three local groups earmarking the weekend of the summit for the hosting of protests, April 17 to 19 is proving to be “a weekend where the strength of all officers will be needed”, said Maharaj.
Both he and Acting Commissioner of Police, James Philbert, confirmed that all police officers will be recalled from leave for the summit weekend and will be involved in operations in some way.

Philbert said, “There have been at least three applications from groups wishing to have “peaceful demonstrations” while the summit is taking place, but we expect many more.

He said the Police Service is ready to handle any challenges which will face the country as regards the hosting of a successful summit.

He added that the police have all the necessary equipment which the job requires and confirmed that they will also be outfitted with tear gas “though we hope there will be no riots”.

He confirmed that the police also other chemicals at their disposal. However, he said these chemicals were not purchased for the national security services specifically for the summit.