Trinidad Police launch Operation Festive Shield ahead of Christmas and Carnival season

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) has rolled out Operation Festive Shield, a comprehensive security initiative aimed at protecting citizens, businesses, and visitors throughout the busy Christmas 2025 and Carnival 2026 periods.

The operation officially launched Thursday in Port of Spain and the Western Division, areas recognized as the country’s main commercial and entertainment hubs. These zones typically experience increased crowds and economic activity during the festive months, prompting a heightened security presence. Other divisions across the country are expected to follow in the coming days under the same coordinated strategy.

According to the TTPS, Operation Festive Shield will rest on four main pillars — high-visibility policing, intelligence-led operations, traffic and public order management, and stakeholder partnerships with rapid response capability.

This includes an expanded presence of foot and mobile patrols in shopping districts, transport hubs, and entertainment zones; targeted crackdowns on repeat offenders; coordinated traffic management with municipal police; and close collaboration with business and community stakeholders.

Operational support will come from divisional task forces, the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF), municipal units, and private security partners, all monitored through the TTPS OPS-STAT system.

Priority areas for law enforcement include reducing robberies and street crimes, improving shopper and commuter safety, easing traffic congestion, and ensuring swift response to incidents.

Citizens are being urged to remain alert, use secure cash transport services when necessary, and report any suspicious activity to 999, 555, or the nearest police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) emphasized that the TTPS is fully prepared for the season, stating, “The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service is strategically deployed, coordinated, and operationally ready. We will safeguard public safety, protect commercial activity, and ensure security throughout the festive season. Criminal elements will find no comfort this Christmas and Carnival period.”

Operation Festive Shield will be expanded across all police divisions in the coming weeks, reinforcing the TTPS’ commitment to public confidence, national safety, and effective law enforcement.