Call for proactive, interfaith approach in the face of police service crisis, rising crime

In a candid and impassioned interview on Altos, Pastor Clive Dottin, a well-respected Seventh-Day Adventist minister, former independent senator, and past member of the Police Service Commission (PSC), addressed the current state of crime and law enforcement in Trinidad and Tobago.

Pastor Dottin, known for his outspoken stance on social issues, did not hold back as he shared his concerns about the turmoil within the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), the erosion of public trust in law enforcement, and the growing influence of criminal organisations. His remarks painted a grim picture of a nation grappling with both internal institutional failures and an emboldened criminal element.

The discussion began with an examination of the recent upheaval within the TTPS. With the shocking detention and subsequent release of a sitting police commissioner, the appointment of a new acting commissioner, and ongoing investigations involving senior officers, the police force has found itself at the centre of a national controversy.

Pastor Dottin was critical of how these events had unfolded, particularly regarding the public praise given to former Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher by the new acting Commissioner of Police Junior Benjamin. He remarked, “The only thing that he didn’t say is that she was a relative of Mother Mary because he praised her to the highest.”

His comment suggested that the excessive commendation of Harewood-Christopher could indicate a larger issue—an attempt to quickly mend public perception rather than address deep-seated problems within the force.

Furthermore, he criticised the PSC for what he believed was a premature response in dealing with senior officers under scrutiny. “I personally feel the Police Service Commission jumped the gun,” he stated, pointing out that police investigators had gone to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on four separate occasions, yet failed to present compelling evidence for charges.

This mismanagement, he argued, only served to diminish public confidence in law enforcement. At a time when crime is surging and citizens are living in fear, such instability within the TTPS is deeply concerning.

“In terms of murders, you have to evaluate murders multiplied by two when you have a State of Emergency, because it means the criminal element has no respect for your State of Emergency,” Pastor Dottin said, highlighting how crime persists unabated despite increased security measures.

Fears of internal police division and corruption

The conversation then turned to the possibility of internal fractures within the TTPS, with some suggesting that the recent events indicated an attempted coup or power struggle within the police force. Pastor Dottin did not dismiss these concerns, instead making a sobering comparison.

“I have made a statement, and that statement is that Trinidad and Tobago is moving swiftly on the road to Haiti,” he warned. The reference to Haiti, a country plagued by severe political instability, gang violence, and law enforcement failures, underscored the gravity of his concerns.

He further revealed his personal encounters with corruption and criminal infiltration within the protective services. Recounting an incident in which he attempted to rescue a young woman from a drug lord, Pastor Dottin said he was met with resistance—not from criminals, but from law enforcement officers themselves.

“One young police officer lectured me on the bankruptcy of pastors when it comes to mediation skills,” he said. “I was literally punished when I tried to rescue that girl.”

According to Pastor Dottin, after successfully extracting the girl from her abusive situation, his vehicle was stopped at a roadblock near the police station where he had previously sought help. His driver was profiled, and they were ordered to return to the station.

This experience, he argued, was not an isolated case. It reflected the dangerous proximity between criminal elements and certain members of the protective services, a relationship that continues to undermine the country’s ability to fight crime effectively.

Perhaps the most sobering part of the discussion was Pastor Dottin’s admission that the nation was losing its fight against crime.

“The message we are sending to the gang leaders is, you are winning the battle, and we are losing the battle,” he stated bluntly.

Despite the tireless efforts of churches, NGOs, and community organisations, crime continues to escalate. Pastor Dottin pointed to the aggressive recruitment tactics used by gangs, contrasting them with the slow and often ineffective efforts of the state and civil society to counteract criminal influence.

“We have allowed the gang leaders to show us what to do in terms of recruiting young people in criminal activity, in gangs, in drug dealing,” he lamented. “We have shown a very snail’s pace when it comes to the issue of recruiting young people for positive, proactive activity.”

To combat this, he proposed a nationwide adoption initiative in which churches, NGOs, and community organisations would take direct responsibility for mentoring and rehabilitating at-risk youth.

“We all agree that we have to save the community and do better at adopting youth and putting them in positive programmes,” he said.

This proactive, interfaith approach, he argued, would ensure that young people are given an alternative to crime, rather than being left to fall through the cracks of an inadequate social support system.

The murder of Randall Hector

The interview took an emotional turn when the conversation shifted to the late December murder of special prosecutor Randall Hector. Hector, who was deeply involved in gang-related prosecutions, was gunned down outside Stanmore Avenue—just outside Pastor Dottin’s church.

“He had just spoken about protection, if you please. He was hugging his son, and he was shot while he was hugging his son,” Pastor Dottin recalled.

What disturbed him even more was the lack of acknowledgment from government officials. “Up to now, not one government or cabinet minister has made any comment on that killing,” he said.

Hector, who was also a lay leader in the Adventist church, was known for his integrity and dedication to justice. Pastor Dottin emphasised that his death was not just a tragedy but a sacrifice.

Quoting the words of Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, he remarked, “When God calls you, He bids you come and die.” He noted that Hector had been fully aware of the risks associated with his work but saw it as a divine calling.

“This must not be in vain,” Pastor Dottin declared, urging authorities to ensure that Hector’s killers are brought to justice and that his legacy serves as a rallying cry for the country to take a stronger stand against crime.

As crime continues to spiral out of control and public trust in law enforcement diminishes, Pastor Dottin made an urgent call for unity and decisive action.

“We need to have the courage,” he asserted. He urged faith leaders, civil society groups, and government officials to come together to reclaim Trinidad and Tobago from the grip of crime and corruption.

Mere words and temporary crackdowns, he argued, would not suffice. The country needed bold, sustained efforts to address the root causes of crime and rebuild trust in its institutions.

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