POLICE will do what they must to maintain peace and order at Carnival events and fetes, said Commissioner of Police (CoP) Dwayne Gibbs yesterday.

This was Gibbs's response when asked about the beatings by police officers using batons and fists to control patrons attempting to enter an area blocked off at the Panorama semi-finals at the Queen's Park Savannah at Port of Spain on Sunday.

Gibbs was speaking to reporters at the launch of the 21st Century Policing Initiative in the Central Division at the Cunupia Police Station.

Asked if the use of force was excessive when they beat patrons who attempted to push past barriers placed between the Greens and the North Stand, Gibbs said police were attempting to ensure Carnival was safe for all people.

He said: "In terms of Panorama, and any kinds of fetes for Carnival, our focus here is to maintain the peace. We know that things can erupt at any time and we are confident in the abilities of our police officers to do what they have to do in order to maintain the peace for our citizens, to make it safe so that Carnival is safe for everybody."

The Central Division is the second location for the activation of the 21st Century Policing Initiative, previously launched in the Western Division.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Jack Ewatski said the Cunupia Police Station will serve as a "centralised Criminal Investigations Division to for all investigations to deal with the solvability factor relative to crimes".

He said soon the 21st Century Policing Model will expand to the Tobago and Northern Divisions.

Gibbs said with the 21st Century Policing the public can expect different ideas and different approaches.

The CoP said: "We know that if we do the same ole, same ole, we will get the same old result. And we know that wasn't working. So we are doing different things bringing in new ideas, and the officers are bringing new ideas forward and indeed these are activities that will make the place more safe and secure."