Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith says he has conducted an investigation into the award of Angostura contracts to private security companies owned by Sgt Mark Hernandez, but found no breach of police regulation on the part of the officer.
Three contracts awarded to Hernandez’ MH Tactical Response Groups are now the subject of an audit by the company. Angostura CEO Genevieve Jodhan will be called to respond to the findings of the audit today.
In an interview yesterday, Griffith told Guardian Media that when media reports surfaced about Hernandez’ involvement in the probe, he immediately did his research to see if it required the police service’s intervention.
When Griffith was initially asked about Hernandez’s companies being beneficiaries of contracts from Angostura on Wednesday, the CoP said he was not aware.
Under Section 133 of the Police Service Act, an officer shall not, without the consent of the Commissioner, accept any paid employment or engage in any trade or any professional, commercial, agricultural or industrial undertaking, or undertake private work for remuneration, whether in or outside of Trinidad and Tobago.
Yesterday, however, Griffith said he saw documents, which were signed by a previous police commissioner, approving Hernandez’ request to engage in employment outside the service. He also Hernandez was not a director of the company involved in the probe.
“I did my investigations to verify because as soon as these things take place, obviously someone would have breached regulations if they went in contrast to what I have just said. I have seen the letter from a previous commissioner of police who had actually given such authorisation for the said individual to perform duties of a similar nature,” Griffith said.
“The security company in question is not his. He has no directorship of that company. So in this event, somebody didn’t do their homework because that was the first thing I asked. I have seen the document. I have seen all the correspondence. The individual does not have directorship. He holds no directorship at all in that said company and what was given to him was the approval to be involved in security training for personnel.”
However, a LinkedIn search shows an account for Mark Hernandez as an advisor at MH Tactical Response Group Ltd. There is also an account for Mark C Hernandez, who is the Executive Chairman/Owner of the MH Tactical Response Group and New Order Security Services and Corporate Asset Management. All three companies benefitted from security-related contracts awarded by Jodhan. Hernandez is also the face of the company’s Facebook page. Another media source stated that Hernandez’ wife was the MH Tactical Response Group director.
Hernandez is reportedly a key member of the elite Special Operations Response Team and played a critical role in the rescue of kidnap victim Natalie Pollanais in September and other covert operations.
Contacted yesterday, Police Social Welfare Association president Insp Michael Seales said to the best of his knowledge, Hernandez was a Special Reserve police officer. He said as an SRP, Hernandez would not have needed permission to seek other employment as it is an ancillary function. He said SRPs were encouraged to find other employment and at one time it was public servants who were employed as SRPs.
He said that the only intervention from the police would have been if Hernandez had breached a police policy or law.
Griffith said any matter published in the media involving the private sector would not interest the Police Service unless it was a criminal matter that took place.
In June, Angostura announced that it had partnered with MH Tactical Response Group to offer “I Will Not Be a Victim” courses for female employees. The company said between December 2017 and May 2018, 69 female employees took part in the training at the House of Angostura in Laventille.
