Senior Reporter
shaliza.hassanali
@guardian.co.tt
The Police Service Social and Welfare Association is working to provide legal support to the seven officers charged with misbehaviour in public office, its president Inspector Gideon Dickson said yesterday.
On Saturday, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard gave instructions lay charges against the officers who are all assigned to the North-Central Division Task Force.
Dickson said the arrests show that the T&T Police Service (TTPS) is not prejudicial “to those who would want to breach the law ... so we are locking up our own.
“We are also saying that it shows a great level of transparency and accountability to the public in which we serve and a bid to regain public trust and confidence.”
However, Dickson said the accused are members of the association and “we will try to provide whatever support that could be provided whilst they go through this process.”
“The association’s welfare committee has reached out to the officers and advised them accordingly because they are entitled to a level of support once they are members of the association to legal aid in this matter,” he said
Dickson said under TTPS regulations the officers could be interdicted on either three quarter or half pay until the matter is determined.
He said they would not want an officer to become destitute and wondered whether there were systems to ensure swift justice.
“Whilst one may look at the negative impact we often look at the total picture, and the total picture is this, we are the only entity in Trinidad and Tobago who investigates our own and we spare no cost and we are not prejudicial as it relates to our own,” he said.
Noting that officers “are still innocent until proven guilty”, Dickson said there a public perception that TTPS officers “are bad, wicked and corrupt” and not enough is said about the good work done by officers.
He said the officers are likely to appear before a virtual court tomorrow.