Professor Maguire began teaching a course on strategic crime control to command staff of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) in December 2004.  Shortly after that, he was awarded a contract by Trinidad and Tobago's Ministry of National Security to investigate the nature and causes of an outbreak of violence and to propose a series of reforms meant to address the violence.  The project lasted until 2010. 

Professor Maguire and his team worked on dozens of projects, most of them focused on analysis, prevention, intervention, and suppression of crime.  Maguire and his team led what may be the most comprehensive analysis of crime and criminal justice in the region.  They gathered data systematically from police, courts, arrestees, criminal offenders, community residents, youth and others. They initiated crime and gang mapping in the TTPS.   Maguire and his team were also responsible for recommending, naming, establishing, and training the Crime and Problem Analysis (CAPA) Unit within the TTPS.  CAPA is now one of the finest crime analysis units in the region.  The net result of these activities was a substantial increase in the analytical capacity of the TTPS.  Moreover, the academic research carried out as part of the project has led to an increase in the knowledge base on several issues, including gangs, guns, drugs, strategic crime control, police reform, and forensic science.

In addition to the analytical aspects of the project, Maguire and his team also provided training and technical assistance to hundreds of police officers and other officials on a variety of topics, including crime analysis, strategic crime control, policing gangs, homicide investigation, and community policing.

 

Professor Maguire and his team are grateful to the Ministry of National Security of Trinidad and Tobago for funding this project, and to the members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and the Forensic Science Centre for their many forms of assistance.