by Linda Straker
- More than 80 police officers have been tested for Covid-19
- No positive cases among officers who were tested
- Several persons violate emergency powers regulations leading to arrest and charging of individuals
Superintendent Vannie Curwen, Head of the Community Relations Department has disclosed that more than 80 police officers have been tested for Covid-19. Others are presently in mandatory quarantine, with others engaging in self-quarantine.
“We continue to test police officers. As you will appreciate the risk to us is higher than the rest of the population,” Curwen disclosed on Wednesday during the first briefing conducted by the police for the week covering 26 April to 2 May 2020.
“We continue to do what we need to do to keep our officers safe, ensuring that they wear their mask, ensuring that they distancing themselves when we can, but by the very nature of our operations, it is expected that we will come into contact with people because this is what we do,” he said as he announced there are no positive cases among the officers who were tested.
Grenada continues to be in a state of emergency with a 24-hour mandatory curfew. However, there are specified days when citizens can shop for food and other essentials. The police have disclosed that several persons are using the opportunity to violate sections of the emergency powers regulations which have led to the arrest and charging of individuals.
The largest single arrest in recent times was on Friday, 24 April when several persons were arrested for violating Section 9 of the regulations. “Eleven persons were arrested in the Woburn area violating Section 9 of the Emergency Powers Act which speaks to the restriction on social gathering,” he said without disclosing details of the violators.
“These individuals at a time when we should be under curfew, chose to ignore the regulations and all of the protocols that have been put in place and find themselves in a party with food, DJ music and drinks.” He pointed out that both the host and the attendees were charged.
Section 9 of the regulations speaks to restrictions on social activities and funerals. “No person shall host or attend– (a) any social activity of any description, including a wedding; or (b) a funeral,” said the regulations which were last updated on 27 April.
