THERE are simple answers to the questions surrounding the burgeoning crime wave in Diego Martin, Maraval, Belmont, East Port of Spain, Laventille and San Juan.

These answers lie in the police stations and police posts, and in the corrupt minds, hearts, and hands of the officers who man these stations.

Officers in both the Western and Port of Spain Divisions have been linked to the sale of firearms to gangsters and drug-runners, the same ones who make life a living hell for law-abiding citizens in Diego Martin, Maraval, and East Port of Spain.

A source deep within the Police Service revealed that several senior officers are on the payroll of certain crime bosses, and are responsible for several unsolved murders in the Western Division and East Port of Spain.

Internal incidents involving the disappearance of exhibits, arms, and ammunition from police stations have also been linked to these senior officers and the supply of guns and ammo to the criminal element.

Some of the murder victims were not known to be involved in any sort of criminal activity, but according to the source, were “foolish enough to believe the ads about passing on information to the police”.

“In some cases, some people who went to the police to give information were eventually charged, often with one or more of the same offences they reported to the police.”

“And don’t feel you just getting lock-up. Police leaking information back to the bandits and the bandits coming back for you, so is you and sometimes your whole family getting wipe out,” said the source.

A senior officer based in the West is also said to be part of the arms and ammunition supply chain for the bandits of Bagatelle, Blue Basin and Patna.

A female officer is also being identified as part of the crime ring inside the division that extends deep into the squatter settlements of Bagatelle and River Estate.

The WPC was spotted giving a lift to two known young bandits from the River Estate area, but what was worse, is as one of the hoodlums took his seat, eyewitnesses spotted a gun stuck in his waist.

“So police transporting criminals now, and not to the station or to court, but to go and commit more crime.

“So who could innocent, law-abiding citizens go to when they witness something like that?” asked the source rhetorically.

But what goes around comes around, as it did for a certain store-owner in Port of Spain, who was gunned down in cold blood recently despite having a whole squad of dirty cops on his payroll.

The Port of Spain store, which was always well stocked with high-value brand name items, was just a front for a more lucrative but illegal enterprise based in the East.

Another insider added that it was only a matter of time before all the bandits, including the bad elements in the service “kill out each other”.

But the insider warned: “The price in blood and grief would be high.”