The Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith, started the year off on a light note with a video posted to the TTPS’ Facebook page.
In it, the commissioner poked fun at some of his more controversial statements and particularly, criticisms he receives from the public.
The nine-minute video saw the commissioner put his own spin on an act done by former Unites States president Barack Obama during the White House Correspondents’ dinner in 2015. Griffith instead flipped the roles with himself making outrageous commentaries about his criticisms while Ancil “Blaze” Isaac was his “diplomatic translator”, putting forth the commissioner’s statements in a more politically correct manner.
The commissioner told Guardian Media the bit was all in good fun as he sought to start the year off by putting a smile of people’s faces.
“This is a new year. 2020 was a very difficult year for the world and obviously for Trinidad and Tobago and the citizens. I think it’s important that we smile. We need to probably calm down and…just put a smile on your face to start the new year,” he said.
“As the Commissioner of Police, sometimes it’s important that persons who hold a public office (to) let the country realise that we are all human. Let us not feel that somebody might be in a post that they forget about reality.”
The video was only posted for a couple of hours when Guardian Media spoke to the commissioner.
However, he said he believes it was received well by the public.
“I think the vast majority of the country would have accepted and be pleased to at least start the new year with a smile. If it is you started it with a frown then you need to check yourself,” he said.
“This is not a year that we are supposed to be there frustrated and having a great degree of animosity for our fellow citizens in this country. I think this is a time we should circle the wagons, work together.”
In the video, the commissioner and Blaze poked fun at the criticisms regarding his typical social media feuds with members of the public, his perceived political affiliations on either side of the divide and his “one shot one kill” policy. The duo even took jabs at former Acting Commissioner of Police, Stephen Williams and the recent failure of the anti-gang legislation’s renewal and bail amendment bill in parliament.
