Griffith urges CoP: Use the bodycams

2026-01-26 - 22:58

Former Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith is calling on the incumbent to provide answers to why some 1,200 body-worn cameras procured under his tenure are not being used. Referencing now viral CCTV footage which contradicts the police's account of a fatal shooting in St Augustine last week, Griffith said the incident is a serious concern as the deceased, Joshua Samaroo, was seen placing his hands in the air as if trying to surrender before officers opened fire. The former top cop warned that while he sees merit in the Zones of Special Operations legislation, the incident has now pushed many citizens to reject it. "For it to be successful, public trust and confidence... in the police service must take place. The public trust and confidence has been diminished constantly." He said under his tenure, public confidence in the service was at 59 per cent, while a recent survey placed it now at eight per cent. To help improve this score, Griffith said the current leadership must revisit and action many of the changes he pioneered in the service while at its helm. Chief among them, he said, was to utilise body cameras he acquired. He said despite criticisms, this was adequate to provide accountability. "Twelve hundred body cameras for 7,000 police officers is more than enough for every police officer who goes on patrol, on road block, on operation, on warrant exercise to have that body camera worn. I set up a standard operational procedure, standing orders to enforce it, that any officer that goes on anything – on patrol, a roadblock, an operation, issuing a warrant, vehicle or foot patrol – you must sign for it, you turn it on, it is returned and we checked. We were checking to make sure that the body cameras were being utilised." He said these cameras kept officers in line while simultaneously protecting officers from being wrongfully accused. He accused CoP Allister Guevarro of refusing to enforce the standing order he left the service with. "I am asking the public, we must demand from the CoP and the Police Service Commission, who have continued to turn a blind eye to this. Why are you not using the body cameras? There's a mandatory standing order, standard operating procedure, that if the officers do not use it they can be suspended immediately. "Why is the Commissioner not enforcing it? Why you not using the tasers that are there? Why you not using the pepper spray? Why you remove the online reporting? Why you remove the police app? Why you remove the GPS tracking from the police vehicles? Why you remove the live feed cameras from on the vehicles that will ensure we see what is happening? "If all of this is done, I can assure the public that it will minimise and prevent excessive use of force with the police." In a statement on the incident, the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) also renewed its call for body cameras to be used. "The PCA takes this opportunity to reiterate that incidents such as these underscore the importance of the use of body-worn cameras by police officers. The authority has consistently and vigorously advocated for the implementation of body-worn cameras as a measure to enhance accountability, transparency, and public confidence in policing." In September, Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander told the Senate that a $24.9 million contract to provide 3,000 body-worn cameras to the TTPS was terminated to save money. He said as of June 10, 2025, 17.9 per cent of officers use the cameras. Guevarro later said the contract was cancelled because of inflated costs. Speaking at a police press briefing he said the cameras were being sold for $8,000 per unit under the contract while they could be acquired for $2,500 to $3,000. Samaroo was killed and his common-law wife Kaia Sealy was paralysed after a police chase ended with officers firing about two dozen rounds into their Toyota Aqua on January 20. Guevarro, according to media reports, said officers were fired upon, and a gun and ammunition were found at the scene. CCTV footage captured of the final moments showed the Aqua crash and Samaroo, the driver, putting his hands out the window. Three officers almost immediately opened fire. The footage has sparked outrage among many quarters of the population, with Samaroo's family calling for justice. Griffith said under his tenure, there was a similar shooting incidents, and he immediately suspended the officers involved. "Why is the CoP not doing this? Additionally, these are the same police officers who might go back out on patrol with a weapon. This cannot and should not be taking place." Messages to Guevarro went unanswered.