The extension of Erla Harewood-Christopher’s tenure as Commissioner of Police, though unpopular, has not come as any great surprise.
Even before Monday’s announcement of her one-year extension, it had become clear that the Government would go this route.
To begin with, the Police Service Commission had been tardy in its search for a new commissioner, and, on top of that, the necessary parliamentary procedures to appoint an acting commissioner were not triggered before yesterday’s expiration of Harewood-Christopher’s contract.
Yet many had hoped, and indeed prayed, that the Government would listen to the cries of those demanding her replacement based on poor performance.
Since taking office and promising to make a serious dent in murders, Harewood-Christopher has presided over a period of deteriorating national safety with increases in violent crime and gang activity.
Her failure to address the public during some of the most daunting episodes of crime and violence has rapidly diminished any belief in her ability to turn things around.
Yet, the Government continues to demonstrate tremendous faith in her leadership.
Those now calling on the public to support her extension have carefully avoided making statements on her actual performance, suggesting instead that the country focuses on the failure of other institutions to prevent guns from entering the country.
Others have suggested that we as citizens should focus on how we can achieve a broader approach to crime fighting, starting in schools and homes, deflecting attention away from Harewood-Christopher’s direct leadership.
However, it has to be said that the problems of porous borders and the influx of weapons are nothing new, and neither is the deteriorating social fabric, which has been the topic of much discussion for decades and most certainly requires the commitment of the entire citizenry to arrive at an effective solution.
Still, there is no getting away from the question of whether we have the right leadership of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service to bring about the necessary outcome—that is, to return the country to a level of safety, regain public confidence in the police service, and motivate officers to do better.
It is simply not enough to call for public support when Harewood-Christopher’s tenure to date suggests she is not capable of making a serious impact on crime.
We note that Government announced the extension of her contract without offering any concrete reason for doing so, other than the need for continuity and stability in the police service.
And, from some of the public responses so far, it is clear this explanation does not suffice.
As the old saying goes, ‘performance beats ole talk any day’, and Harewood Christopher’s performance has simply not been up to par.
As leader of the Government, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley must ultimately seek to restore faith in his Government’s decision-making by offering a logical explanation for the Police Service Commission’s tardiness in finding a replacement and for why Harewood-Christopher’s contract was extended.
Failure to do so only suggests that his administration is out of touch with the mood on the ground, or worse yet, is insensitive to the pleas of those desperate for a change in the country’s crime situation.