From January 9-10, 2020, 90 participants, including police officers, prison officers and prosecutors, engaged in the Gang Investigations and Prosecutions Workshop in Trinidad and Tobago. NCSC experts traveled to Port of Spain to build the capacity of local law enforcement officials and prosecutors to efficiently and effectively investigate and prosecute gang-related crimes.
Prior to the workshop, the experts met with stakeholders working in high crime areas that are affected by gang violence, including the DPP, judges and the police, to discuss the management and prosecution of gang cases. These discussions informed the workshop and allowed the experts to tailor training materials to Trinidad and Tobago’s legal framework and local context, including the new anti-gang legislation, criminal procedures of evidence, while also introducing best practices from the U.S.
NCSC experts presented U.S. best practices on investigating and prosecuting gang-related crimes, provided techniques on how to handle confidential witnesses, and facilitated discussions on the state of gang violence in Trinidad and Tobago. Furthermore, NCSC experts engaged participants with interactive exercises to guide them through the investigation and prosecution process and conducted brainstorming sessions for participants to discuss issues that arise during investigations and the new gang legislation.