Tobago police—We will arrest even children breaking the law

Tobago Correspondent

Senior Superintendent Earl Elie has warned parents that the police will not hesitate to arrest anyone, including children, who are found loitering and take them before the courts.

He took the firm stance during a town hall meeting in Black Rock on Thursday night.

Residents complained that excessive loitering by youths, mainly children, had left many feeling unsafe and imprisoned in their own community.

Responding to these concerns, Elie assured them that such behaviour would not be tolerated under his watch.

“When the police hold you, you getting the full brunt of the law. You could be eight years old, because the law says after seven years old you have to answer for your crime. You could be seven years old and one month, I taking you to the court and no parent not coming to beg and bawl and cry at that stage.”

Elie further spoke of an alarming trend where children were linked to some of Tobago’s most serious crimes, pointing out that children as young as 13 years old are being charged with serious offences.

“Just last week, we charged two teenagers—16 and 17 years old—and a 13 year old.

“Babies—literally babies—committing crimes in a place like Tobago. And you know, the question must be asked: where are the parents? Are the police supposed to be mother and father to these children as well? Is that what is being asked of us?”

Sending a message to parents, he chided their parenting skills and poor judgement to detect delinquency.

Turning his focus to the community, he asked where was the village to raise the child, saying it was not only the job of the police to care for children.

“We take blame where it is due. I’m not shying away from the fact that the police service could do more or that we may have failed you in the past. But parents, you must take responsibility for your children. You can’t tell me a 13 year old is bringing home stolen items—a television, a fridge—and you, the parent, sit there and do nothing. And then you blame the police for children being on the streets? That’s not acceptable.

“What happened to the idea that it takes a village to raise a child? Is that philosophy out the window? If it is, we need to bring it back. Parents, guardians, and the community must step up, or these children will be led astray by hardened criminals. And once that happens, the damage is done.”

Elie lamented the state of the island, contrasting it with the island he knew while growing up. “The Tobago I grew up in during the 80s is a far cry from what I see now. Back then, we were proud of our achievements. Tobago produced some of the most intelligent people in the world—people whose contributions live on forever. But now, we are allowing ourselves to be influenced by negativity, much of it brought here by outsiders.”

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