Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro has defended the implementation of 30 joint army-police posts across the country, saying the units will improve the operational reach, responsiveness and effectiveness of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service.In a release yesterday, the TTPS said the new army-police posts which are current being constructed are intended to give officers greater operational capacity without permanently tying them to specific locations.In his first statement on the initiative, Guevarro said he was mindful of criticisms that followed the announcement of the initiative but stated “it is passing strange that individuals who claim to possess security expertise fail to grasp such a basic concept, choosing instead to dismiss any and all initiatives introduced by law ­enforcement”.He said the Police Service would remain focused on its responsibility to protect public safety.“The TTPS will not be distracted by such commentary,” Guevarro said, adding that the units were intended to strengthen the Service’s operational reach, improve responsiveness and increase its overall effectiveness.Guevarro also sought to assure the public that the initiative was being undertaken within the Police Service’s legal responsibilities and with accountability in mind.“The public can be assured that every initiative undertaken by the TTPS is grounded in data, statutory responsibility and a commitment to transparency and accountability,” he said.The Commissioner said the mobile units represented another step towards developing a modern Police Service capable of responding to changing security demands.Locations of postsdetermined by crime dataIn its release, the TTPS said the army-police posts will form part of its current anti-crime strategy, with their deployment guided by crime analysis and operational requirements.It said mobile police units were not a new concept and had been used by the Police Service for ­several years.The Service said the decision to procure what it described as “micro-police units” was part of improvements made to existing mobile units and was in keeping with the Government’s strategic direction for law enforcement.According to the release, the units can be moved throughout the country with only minimal foundation construction.It said the new generation of units can accommodate more ­officers and advanced technology than older models.The TTPS said locations for the units would be determined using data from its Crime and Problem Analysis Branch, with deployment intended to reflect crime trends rather than being based solely on geographic considerations.The units are expected to be used for community engagement and rapid responses to local issues, major incident planning and ­coordination, and as forward operating bases for specialised operations.They could also serve as on-the-ground command centres during emergencies and provide support for tactical deployments and crime-suppression initiatives, the TTPS stated.