THE Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has surpassed its target for reducing serious reported crime, recording a 15% decline nationally so far this year against its benchmark reduction of 10%.Violent crime also recorded a sharper-than-expected decline, falling by 12% compared with the Service’s target of a 10% reduction.Fatal and serious road traffic accidents declined by 24% and 29% respectively, well above their 5% reduction targets.The figures were outlined in the Commissioner of Police’s latest COMPSTAT report, dated July 21, 2026, which assessed crime trends across Trinidad and Tobago.The report compared serious reported crime data from January 1 to July 20, 2026, with the corresponding period in 2025, based on information extracted from the police Versadex system.Overall, serious reported crimes declined from 6,469 last year to 5,514 this year, a reduction of 955 offences.Violent crime offences fell from 2,362 to 2,076, a reduction of 286 cases.The COMPSTAT report defined violent crimes as murders, woundings and shootings, sexual offences, kidnappings, robberies and home invasions.However, while the overall picture pointed to a decline in serious and violent crime, the report highlighted several areas of concern, including a reduction in murders that fell short of the target and detection rates that remain low across several key categories.There were 213 murders between January 1 and July 20 this year, compared with 220 during the corresponding period last year, representing a reduction of seven murders, or 3%.This decline fell short of the TTPS target of a five per cent reduction.The monthly figures showed 31 murders in January, 30 in February, 28 in March, 32 in April, 31 in May and 39 in June. A further 22 murders were recorded between July 1 and July 20.The seven-year average monthly murder figure for the period 2019 to 2025 was 43, according to the report.Murder trends varied significantly across police divisions.Central recorded one of the sharpest improvements, with murders declining from 41 during the comparable period in 2025 to 21 this year. Northern recorded a decrease from 32 to 25, while Southern fell from 31 to 26, Western from 21 to 20, and Eastern from 18 to 16.However, North Central moved sharply in the opposite direction, with murders increasing from nine during the comparable period in 2025 to 27 this year.North Eastern also recorded an increase, rising from 24 to 27, while South Western moved from 18 to 21 and Tobago from three to seven. Port of Spain remained unchanged at 23.The report also listed 21 “unclassified deaths”, including six in Southern, three each in Western, North Central, Central and Port of Spain, two in South Western and one in Eastern.While the number of murders declined, the police’s ability to solve killings remained a major concern.Of the 213 murders recorded up to July 20 this year, 35 had been detected, resulting in a detection rate of about 16%.The TTPS target was a 23% detection rate.The report stated that police have solved 45 murders so far in 2026. Of these, 35 were committed this year, six occurred in 2025 and four date back to previous years.The seven-year average murder detection rate is listed at 16%.Detection rates varied across police divisions.Southern recorded the highest number of solved murders, with seven detections from 26 murders recorded this year. Northern recorded six detections from 25 murders, while North Central recorded five from 27.Central recorded four detections from 21 murders, while Tobago recorded three from seven.Port of Spain and Western each recorded just one detection, despite recording 23 and 20 murders respectively.Nine of 10 divisions showdrop in serious crimeNine of the country’s 10 police divisions recorded declines in serious reported crime.Northern recorded the largest percentage reduction, with serious crimes falling by 32% from 707 to 479.North Eastern recorded a 30% decline, with reported serious crimes falling from 620 to 431.Central recorded a 22% decline, with serious reported crimes falling from 962 to 753, while Eastern also recorded a 22% reduction, from 469 to 364.North Central recorded a 13% decline, followed by Western at 12%, Southern at seven per cent, South Western at three per cent and Tobago at two per cent.Port of Spain was the only division to record an increase, with serious crimes rising from 712 in 2025 to 728 this year, an increase of 16 offences, or two per cent.The national breakdown showed declines across several major crime categories.Robberies recorded the largest decline, falling from 1,075 to 742, a reduction of 333 cases, or approximately 31%.Shootings and woundings declined from 335 to 249, while kidnappings fell from 80 to 64.Sexual offences recorded a smaller decline, decreasing from 647 to 620.Break-in offences declined from 727 to 708, fraud offences from 383 to 320 and general larceny from 1,077 to 964.Larceny of motor vehicles fell from 466 to 382, while narcotic offences declined from 234 to 198. Possession of firearms and ammunition dropped from 693 to 518, and “other serious crimes” decreased from 473 to 314.One category, however, recorded a significant increase: 181 home invasions were reported in 2026, compared with none in the 2025 comparison period presented in the COMPSTAT chart.Kidnapping for ransom also increased, rising from five cases to seven.The overall detection rate for serious crimes was 33% in 2026, compared with 37% in 2025. When strict liability offences were excluded, the detection rates were 23% and 27% respectively.The recovery of illegal firearms was also identified as an area requiring further action.Police recovered 351 firearms between January 1 and July 20 this year, compared with 395 during the same period last year, a decline of 44 weapons, or 11%.The TTPS target, however, is to increase illegal firearm recoveries by 10%.The report noted that some of the firearms recovered in 2026 came from the Municipal Police cache. Excluding those weapons, the total number recovered fell to 305.Central recorded the highest number of firearm recoveries, with 87 weapons found or seized. That figure falls to 44 when firearms from the Municipal Police cache are excluded.Southern recorded 41 firearm recoveries, followed by Western with 36, South Western with 33, North Central and Eastern with 32 each, North Eastern with 37, Northern with 24, Port of Spain with 23 and Tobago with six.Fraud a significantarea of concernFraud was also identified as a significant area of concern.The report stated that 320 fraud offences were recorded nationally, down from 383 during the corresponding period last year.However, the detection rate for white-collar fraud remained low at 13%, with 42 of the 320 cases solved.The TTPS target is 25%, leaving police 12 percentage points below the benchmark, the largest detection gap identified in the performance assessment.Violent-crime detection stood at 27%, with 552 of the 2,076 reported violent crimes solved. The target is 30%.The divisional analysis presented a more complex picture in the Southern division.Overall serious crime in the Southern division declined by seven per cent, falling from 831 offences last year to 775 this year.However, violent crime moved in the opposite direction, increasing from 292 to 339 offences.Violent offences accounted for 44% of all serious reported crime in Southern during the period.Sexual offences increased from 109 to 125, while shootings and woundings rose from 26 to 39. Murders, however, declined from 31 to 26, and robberies fell from 110 to 101.The division’s overall detection rate improved from 45% in 2025 to 54% in 2026, although it fell to 41% when strict liability offences were excluded.Among police stations in the Southern Division, Moruga recorded the lowest combined average detection rate at 16%.Central recorded one of the most significant improvements in murder figures, with killings declining from 41 to 21.Total serious crime in Central declined by 22%, falling from 962 offences to 753, while violent crime decreased from 362 to 310.Robberies declined from 159 to 97, while general larceny fell from 145 to 105.However, break-in offences recorded a slight increase, rising from 99 to 101, while home invasions increased from zero in the 2025 comparison period to 56 this year.Central’s detection rate improved from 34% to 41%, although the figure stood at 31% when strict liability offences were excluded.The COMPSTAT assessment, however, identified Gran Couva, Longdenville and Las Lomas as areas with lower detection rates.North Eastern recorded a 30% decline in serious crime, with reported offences falling from 620 to 431.Violent crime declined from 257 offences to 186, accounting for 43% of the division’s serious reported crime this year.The division’s detection rate, however, fell from 31% last year to 28% this year, dropping further to 18% when strict liability offences are excluded.Western recorded 398 serious crimes, compared with 452 during the same period last year, representing a 12% decline.Violent crime fell significantly, from 200 offences to 136, accounting for 34% of the division’s serious reported crime.Western’s detection rate stood at 29%, compared with 30% in 2025, and fell to 18% when strict liability offences were excluded.Central Division records most minor crimesThe COMPSTAT report separately examined minor crimes and minor offences for the period January 1 to June 30, 2026.During that period, 1,609 minor crimes were recorded, with an overall detection rate of 45%.Minor larceny accounted for the largest share, with 522 cases, followed by possession of narcotics with 474, other minor crimes with 224 and minor fraud offences with 158.Central recorded the highest number of minor crimes with 313 cases, followed by Southern with 251 and Port of Spain with 194.Police also recorded 3,429 minor offences during the period, with an overall detection rate of 16%.Assaults, beatings and threats accounted for the majority of minor offences, with 2,486 cases recorded. The category also included 235 malicious damage matters, 214 breaches of the peace, 97 assaults on police officers and 38 cases involving persons armed with weapons.The TTPS also exceeded its targets for reducing serious and fatal road traffic accidents.Fatal road traffic accidents fell from 62 during the comparable period in 2025 to 47 this year, a reduction of 15 incidents, or 24%. The police target was a five per cent decrease.Serious road traffic accidents recorded an even sharper decline, falling from 63 to 45, a 29% reduction against a target of five per cent.The COMPSTAT assessment separates its findings into “operational victories” and “strategic gaps”.Police identified the 15% decline in serious reported crime, the 12% reduction in violent crime, the 24% fall in fatal road traffic accidents and the 29% decrease in serious road traffic accidents as key targets achieved during the period.However, the assessment identified six areas requiring further action: murders, general larceny, murder detection, violent-crime detection, fraud detection and illegal firearm recoveries.General larceny, for example, declined by 10%, falling from 1,077 cases to 964. However, the reduction fell short of the police target of 20%.