Retired policemen: Good riddance

Good riddance. That’s the reaction of the Association of Retired Police New York and Trinidad on the resignation of Commissioner of Police Dwayne Gibbs and Deputy Commissioner Jack Ewatski. The association’s president Clayton Blackman said it was a mistake to hire them, since the job of top cop should have gone to Deputy Commissioner Stephen Williams.

“The process of selection was flawed from the get-go. My association is saying good riddance and let’s see what the local commissioner will do,” Blackman said in news release. The Canadian crime-busters’ resignation was announced by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Monday, after reports that National Security Minister Jack Warner had met with her about terminating their contracts. Williams was bypassed twice for the post by the previous and present government.

In a telephone interview, Blackman said, “The association has been saying for a long time that bringing Mr Gibbs and Mr Ewatski with taxpayers’ money was a waste of time. The process of selection was flawed from the beginning. All the money they paying to Penn State University when they could utilise that for a local commissioner. We have the resources here. We have people like Wayne “Watchman” Hayde, who has a big security post in the Middle East, Stephen Williams, Mr Richardson.”

He said Gibbs and Ewatski did not have a proper crime plan. Saying that Williams was fit and proper to take on the task, he said under his leadership the crime rate would be reduced. One of the advantages, he said, is that Williams has the support of the Second Division officers.

“Once you get the morale of the Second Division up and a better working relationship with First Division officers, that in itself is motivation for policemen.” Blackman called on the authorities to give Williams a chance, since “he will make an excellent commissioner.”