Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith is again being called to answer for the zealous behaviour of his lawmen, after officers kicked down the door of an elderly Mason Hall couple during a drug search—only to realise they had gotten the wrong address.
So much for the accuracy of the TTPS’ GPS.
Worse, the home owner told TV6 that one officer went down on all fours and urinated in the middle of her living room. Incidentally, the officer was a police dog.

Was the police dog’s heavy-handed approach to his duties symptomatic of what some citizens complain is a new uncaring ethos by the TTPS to the citizenry?
Or is the door and living room floor of an elderly couple in Mason Hall now the sort of collateral damage that citizens are happy to put up with, if it means worrying the criminals?
And, crucially, if drugs are seized by the police and Super Gary—picture Ian Alleyne with a badge—is not there to pose with the spoils; is it still considered a successful raid?
Mr Live Wire called the Commissioner for comment and, unsurprisingly, he insisted that he is standing by his pissy police pooch.
GG: We are taking the country back one house at a time, I stand by my men and believe my police officers behaved appropriately in the circumstances.
Live Wire: Commissioner, your men broke into the wrong home and then your dog urinated on their floor…
GG: How would you know that it is the wrong house unless you kick down the door and go inside?
Live Wire: What?
GG: I know allyuh media people want the old days when those punks could sleep comfortably at night. But those days are over. We are coming for you.

(Copyright Ministry of National Security)
Live Wire: Yes. But this was not the home of criminals. They were just…
GG: Sure. Everybody is always a good boy and tantee. How you know the old lady didn’t just smoke a wattie?
Live Wire: But how would anybody know that?
GG (broad grin): Exactly!
Live Wire: Ahmmm… Commissioner, do you know the saying ‘when you’re a hammer, every problem is a nail’?
GG: Of course. And I’m going to nail them!
Live Wire: What? No, that’s not what that means…
Live Wire invited citizens to share their views on the police intrusion and found that support for the TTPS remains at its highest level since Will Smith and Martin Lawrence played officers in Bad Boys.

Jason: So how we know they didn’t move the drugs just before the police came? I find they shoulda lock them up anyway!
Ravi: Is about time the police get pro-active. I’m fine with them kicking down other people’s doors, once it makes me feel safe.
Annika: Why dey door was closed? Something in that story not reading right nah. I hope the police keep a close eye on them.
Winston: Steups. Allyuh media people dotish yes. You ent see the old woman have a bandit face?
Stacey: The Commissioner could break into my house anytime!
Editor’s Note: This column is satirical and, although the police home invasion is genuine, the subsequent conversations are faked. No offence is meant at parties named; although they probably deserve it.
Mr. Live Wire is an avid news reader who translates media reports for persons who can handle the truth. And satire. Unlike Jack Nicholson, he rarely yells.
What are your self defense rights when men wearing bullet proof vests with the word POLICE across the front, who are possibly criminals, come kicking down your door at 2:00am, without a warrant? https://www.trinidadexpress.com/opinion/editorials/confusing-bandit-and-police/article_36a9f6e8-a1b9-11e8-84a2-77ecc9dc7d61.html
What are you to do when men wearing bullet proof vests with the word POLICE across the front, who are possibly criminals, come kicking down your door at 2:00am, without a warrant? https://www.trinidadexpress.com/opinion/editorials/confusing-bandit-and-police/article_36a9f6e8-a1b9-11e8-84a2-77ecc9dc7d61.html
It was actually the correct address, just wrong part of the home. The homeowners admitted openly to having a grandson who was involved in ‘activities’.
Mr. Live Wire, I actually agree in this instance with the TTPS simply because they were acting on intelligence where the alleged perpetrator lived downstairs of the establishment they infiltrated.
If we want to get Technical, the Global Positioning System (GPS) does not discretely discern elevation but provides coordinates tantamount to a physical address. It cannot tell which floor or level the culprit is on since both sets of residents would have the same street address. Furthermore, they are all family members! This to me is a no-brainer making the wrong house argument asinine and moot!
Could the TTPS have employed more tact, empathy, professionalism? Perhaps so in dealing with the aggrieved Senior Citizens but I endorse the approach of the CoP. Family will defend their own and I am relatively certain the Grandparents are fully aware of their Grandson’s nefarious activities. It is indeed time to stop dealing with these hoodlums with kid’s gloves. Some may contend that the rough approach is barbaric but in any safe haven, it is effective!
I find that whole ordeal must have been so traumatic. I had a similar experience once where I was in my laundry room and police were at the front gate shouting “police!”. When I look through the window I saw 2 officers with a young man being held. So I shouted back “looking for who?!”. They shouted back an unfamiliar name to me. So my husband who was in the kitchen went to the gate and told them we don’t know that person. After they left we realized the person they were looking for was the teenage son of a guy who lived lower down the hill. Apparently the boy was wanted by police and the young man they had in handcuffs at my gate told the police the boy lived in my house. I guess he was mistaken in the house he pointed out. Still we were all a bit shaken up to think the police could have tried to enter our house looking for a suspect. To be honest when they shouted police I wasn’t even sure if it really was police outside. All in all it was excitement we did not need
After reading the Guardian newspaper story I’m at a lost to understand what the issue is. The police were at the correct location, though they entered the house via the upstairs rather than downstairs where the person of interest was located. Since they were looking for drugs does it really matter what entrance of the home they enter? I assume they would be searching the entire home, not just the room or section of the house where the person of interest was sleeping. The dog pissing on the couch is another issue. He should be reprimanded for that poor decision
Welcome back mr live wire
http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/couple-in-shock-as-tobago-cops-kick-in-wrong-door-6.2.712144.9a6b95839a
As the police arrive they should have ID out and ready, have a copy of the warrant ready to hand over or leave at the premises. People should understand that they should step aside when requested. If police make an error they should be polite and give a brief apology. As soon as possible those affected should be assessed for follow up.
It was a clinical operation! Backed by months of intelligence …. What could go wrong?
Lasana, your satire reads like the exact story. What a caca-phony of BS!
It’s really amazing to hear GG sometimes… if this happened to him, he’s have erected an altar and sacrificed two sheep to the Gods of slack jaw bullshittery. He’d be all over the media chastising the police for their unprofessional and woeful behaviour. But, lo and behold… he’s the COP, so it’s all fucking good. Only in fucking T&T you get to eat your cake and someone else’s too, while victimizing and being the victim too. Funny as it is, life will soon imitate art, just a matter of time.
Bandits steal shipment of bathroom soap from grocery! Police said they made a clean getaway…
It`s not the first time the ttps entered the wrong premises. Incompetence abounds in the ttps.
Thanks for the laugh, but when I read this story initially, I could not believe it!
Can you imagine how traumatised those ppl must be?
Worse, I understand the colour of the houses obviously different, from a comment on fb.
I also recall an incident where police went early in the morning, around 2/3 o’clock to serve a warrant, I believe, to an elderly woman for cursing, if memory serves me right.
We need to temper justice with a healthy dose of common sense.
http://www.looptt.com/content/search-warrant-video-under-probe-pca
Nerisha Mohammed wait. So that story really happened in Mason Hall? I must have missed that ?. That must have been so traumatic.
Rose-Marie yuh don’t trust Mr Live Wire? ?
Lasana Liburd ummm. Is that a trick question ?
Rose-Marie Lemessy-Forde hmm, deflection Lasana Liburd! Lol.
Nerisha Mohammed ?
Not in favour of the editorial direction with regards to the ttps.
Brilliant satire.
Here we go… LMAO! Unfortunately, though, it will happen. Not the dog pissing… LOL. regardless, nice piece of satire.