Senior Reporter
jesse.ramdeo@cnc3.co.tt
Former commissioner of police Gary Griffith yesterday called on the public not to knock his successor, current Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher, for failing to meet any of her set targets for the T&T Police Service last year.
Rather, he placed the blame for the collapse of the TTPS’ anti-crime initiatives on the Police Service Commission (PolSC), who he noted appointed Harewood-Christopher despite her poor performance when assessed for the job.
In a release yesterday, in which he said it was time to stop bashing Harewood-Christopher for her admittance that she had failed to meet any of her 11 anti-crime targets last year, Griffith said, “For the past year, the public has become more critical of Commissioner Harewood-Christopher, and while we understand the public’s frustration due to the escalating crime rate, which saw public trust and confidence fall from 59 per cent when she took over to 8 per cent where it is now, and for the record of the first and second most murderous years in the history of our country; the truth is she is not at fault because she didn’t appoint herself. The blame must rest squarely on the Police Service Commission who appointed her.”
He added, “Her lack of any plans, policies, and initiatives and her inability to speak clearly when questioned should not be surprising, given that when assessed by experts, she finished 12th, some 30 percentage points behind the person with the top marks. To be more specific, in the media aspect of the assessment, she got 4.67 out of 15, which was the second lowest of all the candidates assessed. In Fit for Role, another assessment category, she tied for last with just 3 points, which was again out of 15.”
Griffith reminded that the current spiralling trend was sparked by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley’s interference in the CoP selection process, which, he said, led to the collapse of the previous PolSC under Bliss Seepersad.
However, criminologist Darius Figuera said despite the CoP’s admission to a Joint Select Committee on Wednesday, she should not be removed.
Figuera noted that any drastic move could further add to concerns of interference and politicising of the TTPS.
“If we fire the present commissioner, that sends a most unwelcome sign to the politics of crime in this country. That is, in fact, going to be blood on the water, you cannot feed red meat to people ranting and raving about crime and criminality and have no solutions about crime, they are just talking ... so if you want to politicise the TTPS at this time then it is time for me to get out of here.”
According to Figuera, after blunders in reducing bloodshed, Harewood-Christopher now has to be cautious with her words.
“What is happening now is that the commissioner is now reacting to the blows she has received and she is in a state of shell shock, very weary that how she answers a question posed to her can result in another barrage against her competence.”
Figuera also suggested it appeared as though the police service was being made a scapegoat for the failure by office holders to take a collaborative approach to handling the crime situation.
“The TTPS is now the fall guy of the entire politics of crime in Trinidad and Tobago because the politicians are not willing to accept their failures in managing the national security of Trinidad and Tobago through the years, so the commissioner is taking blows for realities in the crime landscape of Trinidad and Tobago that the TTPS has no power over.”
Also contacted yesterday, current Police Service Commission chairman, retired judge Judith Jones, said she could not comment on the matters stemming out of the JSC.
Meanwhile, Police Complaints Authority director David West said efforts have been made to engage with the CoP on the issue of ensuring police officers wear body cameras, which also came up during the JSC.
“We have issued many pieces of advice to the Commissioner of Police that officers should be wearing body cameras because body cameras act as a protection for the police service.”
Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association head Gideon Dixon said while training in the use of body cameras is ongoing, a more targeted approach may be needed to break certain barriers and pushback from officers.
“The fact that officers are not yet embracing it is a cause for us to look to get beyond that threshold. Not too far from now, I could see officers wholeheartedly embracing it, especially in the operational mode and that in itself will add value to what we are doing.
“It will also breed that sense of public confidence that persons often speak to when engaging the police officers. There should be a component in the training that speaks to the value of utilising the gadget,” he said.