GOOD JOB. Philbert praises cops for kidnap rescue.
By Denyse Renne
Trinidad & Tobago Express | Friday, October 30th 2009

[SPEAKING HIS MIND: Acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert speaks to members of the media after an appreciation awards ceremony at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain yesterday. The ceremony was held to honour police officers who participated in the Fifth Summit of the Americas, which was held in Trinidad earlier this year. See Page 4. -Photo: CURTIS CHASE]

Acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert has sent his condolences to the relatives of three men shot dead by his officers on Wednesday afternoon. He also congratulated his officers for rescuing kidnap victim Imran Mohammed-Khan.

Philbert was speaking at an award ceremony at Police Administration Headquarters in Port of Spain yesterday, honouring his officers who took part in the Fifth Summit of the Americas earlier this year.

“I wish to extend condolences to the families of those who perished yesterday (Wednesday). I say this with the greatest sincerity,” Philbert said.

“No police service engages with pride, people who are wanted, with the expectation that they will die. It is not our first move, but the police service understands the danger that its officers will face, but officers are trained for survival.”

Philbert said his officers have a duty to perform, and for this to be possible they needed to ensure they are alive and well.

“I am happy to know that none of our officers who engaged and who were engaged by them (the deceased men) were injured and that the hostage was released without harm,” Philbert said.

Declaring that the experience of being kidnapped is traumatic and even more traumatic when relatives are clueless as to the whereabouts of their loved ones, Philbert said he had listened to the glowing remarks people made following the shooting, most of which consisted of, “yes you are doing the right thing. We are happy. That is the way to go.”

But Philbert said such remarks are grim and “that is not entirely the way we want to go, but if forced to go that way, we may have to go that way”.

“In the very first instance, the duty of fear rose sharply by people who kidnap innocent citizens and we are called upon as first duty to restore that hostage in one piece,” Philbert said.

Adding that success cannot be guaranteed in the fight against crime if officers are “injured, lazy, die in trying or turn away from the dangers which they may face in protecting law abiding citizens”, Philbert said: “Suffice it to say, none of those things occurred yesterday (Wednesday) and I think the regrettable part of it is that we had to defend ourselves in the strongest fashion, which resulted in the demise of three young men, something that we are not very happy to announce, since they were human beings and perhaps had a story to tell …”

Saying he wanted to extend a “hearty thank you” to the officers who acted quickly on Wednesday, Philbert said: “All of this glamour before the media does not belong to the acting commissioner at all, we will continue to help the public.”