Reclaiming Public Safety in T&T: A Data-Driven, People-Centred Approach

September 26th, 2025

Public safety remains one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most complex national challenges. Over the past 25 years, the security sector has witnessed the introduction of advanced surveillance technologies, increased collaboration between the private and public sectors, the establishment of specialised units, and legislative reforms. According to Dr. Randy Seepersad, Coordinator of the Criminology Unit at The University of the West Indies (UWI), there is genuine cause for optimism. With renewed focus, collaboration, and innovation, the country can build a safer future for all.

Reasons and Roadblocks

“After the year 2000, we saw a sharp and sustained rise in crime,” Seepersad explained. “Whereas the decade prior was largely stable, gang activity began to proliferate, changing the landscape dramatically.” Today, gang violence accounts for approximately 40% of murders, most involving firearms.

Still, Seepersad believes the tools to turn the tide are already within reach. “We’ve long had access to intelligence and technology,” he noted. “The challenge is translating those insights into consistent action.”

One key barrier has been the siloed nature of institutions. “We’ve had agencies duplicating research and working in isolation,” he said. “Collaboration is the missing link that can unlock our full potential.” Meanwhile, many existing technologies—like facial recognition and artificial intelligence-powered surveillance—remain underutilised or unscaled.

Prevention Through Partnership and Data

Encouragingly, regional initiatives offer models of success. Seepersad highlighted the public health approach to crime prevention, which emphasises early intervention, trauma reduction, and community-based support. Project Building Blocks (also known as Project REASON, and before that as the Cure Violence project) is one such example, which achieved a 38% reduction in murders and gun-related violence across Port of Spain communities, while incidents elsewhere continued to rise. Seepersad emphasised this, noting, “The strength of the public health approach has been demonstrated in countries like Saint Lucia and Guyana, where it has proven successful. It begins with localised data collection and zeroes in on key risk and protective factors in communities, making interventions tailored and impactful.”

“Effective crime prevention starts early,” he adds. “We need to examine risk and protective factors across five domains: individual, family, peer group, school, and community.” The Nature Nurture project, which offered grief counselling to children affected by gang violence, demonstrated how healing emotional wounds early can foster resilience and positive change.

To build on these gains, Seepersad advocates for a balanced, two-pronged approach: proactive interventions informed by community data, and reactive reforms that enhance justice delivery, policing, and rehabilitation systems.

Smart Strategies for a Safer Tomorrow

Momentum is building. “We’re seeing the early adoption of smart crime prevention models,” he said. “The UWI is also shifting its academic approach, directing research to support the needs of government agencies, the police, and correctional services—ensuring findings don’t just sit on shelves but help shape policy and reform on the ground.”

The road ahead includes expanding trauma-informed programmes, investing in scalable crime-prevention technologies, and revitalising public trust in law enforcement and the justice system. Importantly, Seepersad advocates for tailored solutions rooted in data, cultural context, and community needs, not imported models or reactionary policies.

“Trinidad and Tobago still has a manageable problem,” he affirmed. “If we act with urgency, coordination, and long-term vision, we can not only curb crime but build a society grounded in fairness, opportunity, and shared responsibility. We still have the time, resources, and models to avoid drastic measures. “We’re not beyond hope,” Seepersad affirms. “In fact, the solutions are already here—we just need the will to implement them.”

By Kieran Andrew Khan