Under grey skies and a heavy downpour, the nation awoke on Friday to the shocking news that the country was in a state of emergency.

Confirmation of this came from Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro who convened a press conference at Police Administration Building, Port of Spain flanked by members of the TTPS executive including deputy commissioners Junior Benjamin, Suzette Martin and Natasha George.

Both Guevarro and Benjamin wore the TTPS' tactical attire while the police commissioner sported the Punisher logo – a white skull with elongated teeth on a black background – worn by some law-enforcement and military agencies around the world as a sign of defiance and focused intent to deal with wrongdoers and criminals.