A state of emergency has been declared in Trinidad and Tobago due to rampant crime.

A state of emergency has been declared in Trinidad and Tobago due to rampant crime threatening public order. The state of emergency allows police to conduct searches without a court warrant and make arrests.

Attorney General Stuart Young noted that in December there were 61 murders in the country, and since the beginning of the year 623 people have died at the hands of criminals – compared to 577 in 2023. Homeland Security Secretary Fitzgerald Hinds called it an epidemic.

It is noted that a curfew is not being introduced at this stage, as are other restrictions on movement. This decision was made to avoid harming the economy of Trinidad and Tobago.