Gail Alexander
It is anticipated the Police Service Commission (PolSC) may issue advertisements for the post of Police Commissioner and Deputy CoP in the second quarter of the year - by June perhaps - and would hope to complete the process by year-end.
PoLSC chairman Judith Jones estimated this yesterday when the PolSC appeared before Parliament's Joint Select Committee on local authorities, service commissions and statutory authorities.
The JSC headed by Independent Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh examined the institutional strengthening of the service commissions department- the Director of Personnel Administration and PolSC.
The Jones Commission was appointed last November after the previous PolSC members resigned.
JSC member Lisa Morris -Julien asked when the PolSC would begin the recruitment process for CoP and Deputy CoP.
Jones said at present the Commission is looking at the process to adopt and anticipated that by the end of the second quarter of this year, ads will be out and the PoLSC hoped the process will run smoothly.
"At present, we're actually looking at the system and process to ensure we can arrive at a process that will meet all the requirements - transparency, finance - we're really actively working on it," Jones added.
With the end of the second quarter, she anticipated ads will be out by June.
On whether the procedure will be different to the last recruitment procedure for Cop/Deputy CoP, Jones said, that of necessity there will be some differences in the process as the Legal Notice for the process has changed.
"Our parameters are slightly different. It's difficult for me to commit at this stage without the Commission having taken a decision on how we'll proceed."
"There are a number of matters we have to consider and there is a slight difference in the procedure - raised by the legislation - and of course, this is a new commission."
On an end date for the process, she continued, "Things that were done in the past may not be things that this Commission may want to do and in those circumstances, I hesitate - prior to ascertaining a decision - to give an end date."
"Certainly I think we'll simply try to have something in place as soon as possible and certainly, speaking for myself, I'd hope that certainly by the end of the year we should have completed the process."
Among comments, Jones said the Commission understood the country was anxious about the spate of crime in T&T and anxious on the appointment of a permanent CoP and Deputy CoP.
She said the Commission too is anxious.
"But I think - and the Commission in this regard- that it's important we get the process right. There are many things that delay the process and then you rush some things and don't think it through properly,"
She said delays caused by that could be three or four times the length of time it would take if the PolSC sat and thought through the matter carefully.
"We have been in office for six months and T&T hasn't seen anything happening, but a lot has been done and a lot is being done but we have to ensure that we get it right - the country deserves nothing less than that and the people of T&T deserve that."
On whether the PolSC has considered the use of a firm for the recruitment of CoP and Deputy CoP, Jones said the Commission is actively considering the recruitment and selection process.
On Varma's concern about systems for vetting candidates' finance to deal with issues such as ill-gotten gains, Director of Personnel Administration Corey Harrison said the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) does rigorous background checks - including on bankruptcy - and checks are also done on crime that may be in the background. If social media reports arise, candidates are given the opportunity to be heard on any allegations. The Police Complaints Authority and Financial Intelligence Unit also do investigations.
On JSC member Jayanti Lutchmedial's query on what might be done to prevent circumstances - as occurred with last year's process - if something comes to PoLSC's attention, Jones said the PolSC would seek legal advice to determine the legal options before making decisions and each matter depends on facts.
Deputy Director of Personnel Administration Helen Warner said $124,725 was lost in executing the previous (2021) process since that needed human resources - but that process ended.
