COMMISSIONER of Police Dwayne Gibbs yesterday said Minister of National Security Jack Warner did not breach the Police Standing Orders by contacting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) South Fitzroy Frederick, seeking assistance during demolition of the Highway Re-Route Movement's camp in Debe on Wednesday.

Speaking with members of the media following the launch of the Police Caravan, a mobile expo displaying different aspects of policing, at the Brian Lara Promenade in Port of Spain yesterday, Gibbs said the Police Standing Orders allows for Warner to do what he did.

"When you look at our command structure, of course, it all flows out of the Commissioner's office to the officers. We all have a level of authority that has been provided to them. There are ACPs in all our divisions, and they are instructed and have the authority to do the policing in those areas.

"We do have an Assistant Commissioner of Police who runs that division and is the point person for anything that goes on in the southern division, certainly, he responded to the request provided to him," Gibbs said.

Asked whether the chain of command was breached in that he was the one responsible to contact the ACP South, Gibbs said: "Again, we put out a news brief and talked about it, and that is as far as we will go at this point."

In the news release, it stated: "At no time was the Commissioner of Police apprised or consulted that there would be the removal of the Highway Protest camp."

Asked to describe his relationship with Warner, Gibbs said they do not always agree on everything, but they do agree they will be tackling crime together and have talked about different ideas and ways to go forward.

In response to Warner's speech calling for police to be more sociable with those they serve and engage in the community, Gibbs said he was in agreement as "the purpose, of course, is to provide not only professional policing but also to ensure what we are doing is to provide the best service for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago."

Gibbs said despite reports by Warner that he will scrap the 21st Century Policing Initiative, Gibbs said, the Police Service will be going ahead with the initiative.

"In terms of some of the components which include the 21st Century Policing, we will be moving forward especially to ensure that the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago receive the best policing that they can get from the officers that we have. We have had many good results from that 21t Century Policing Initiative."