Senior Reporter
shane.superville@guardian.co.tt
Retired ASP Sheridon Hill says while the arrest of Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher has negatively impacted the public’s perception of the T&T Police Service (TTPS), he feels the officers involved acted professionally and with no ill will in mind. Harewood-Christopher was arrested by officers of the DCP Intelligence and Investigations Task Force last Thursday and taken to the St Clair Police Station, where she was interviewed as part of a probe into how officials from the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) received the approval for the importation of two high-powered sniper rifles, which are considered prohibited weapons.
Speaking with Guardian Media yesterday, Hill, who was assigned to the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) as their legal officer from 2016 to 2020, said while he did not want to comment on the nature of the investigation, disagreed with concerns surrounding Harewood-Christopher’s arrest. He said police officers had a right to question and arrest a police officer of any rank once there were sufficient grounds to suspect a crime was committed.
The head investigator in the case is Suzette Martin, who was previously assigned to the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) and also served as a senior superintendent with the Homicide Bureau of Investigations.
Hill commended the officers involved in Harewood-Christopher’s arrest, as he felt they demonstrated courage and integrity for fulfilling their duties even with a senior officer involved.
“The officers who have the professionalism to investigate senior officers regardless of rank and prosecute them once they have the proper protocols and supervisions, they should be commended,” Hill said.
“While it reflects poorly on the service, you have officers that have what it takes to conduct an investigation. Of course, they should be acting on advice because it’s a public official, but I think those officers involved should get gold medals in my opinion.”
Hill added that junior officers, once they received proper guidance, were within their rights to pursue investigations and even arrest senior officers.
However, even as questions linger over Harewood-Christopher’s fate, police officers in several investigative and operational units said they are far from comforted about the latest developments and what it means for officers.
Speaking with Guardian Media yesterday, one officer assigned to the Fraud Squad said colleagues in his unit have been monitoring the latest developments since they unfolded last week and described morale as being “low,” particularly among junior officers from the rank of constable to sergeant.
“A lot of people see it as political character assassination,” the officer said.
“Many officers are questioning the basis on which she (Harewood-Christopher) was arrested and what this means for them.
“There are also a lot of doubts over the motive of the arrest and the officers involved in the arrest. There are officers who are involved in this who feel like they are a law unto themselves.”
Meanwhile, one officer assigned to the Region II Homicide Bureau said they too were also confused over what prompted Harewood-Christopher’s arrest.
“Everyone on the ground is peeved. We’re embarrassed and disappointed, especially in the process used by the police officers who arrested her (Harewood-Christopher),” the officer said.
“I won’t say the morale in the Homicide Bureau is affected, because we still continue to do our work, but for the first time the public is seeing how leaders treat their own, so there is some mistrust.”
Another officer assigned to the Northern Division Task Force said the problems were particularly concerning for him, as it showed how small the margin for error could be for police officers.
The officer, who also faced disciplinary action in the past, said while officers were held to higher standards of accountability given the powers they possessed, there should be sufficient mechanisms in place to ensure there was adequate grounds to hold officers to account for legitimate reasons instead of spite and workplace in-fighting.
“A lot of police at the level of constable to inspector are familiar with the term “bad work” and how junior officers can be punished directly or indirectly for their actions,” the officer said.
“I’ve never seen this kind of uncertainty and unease in the police service and many officers in crime suppression units will have second thoughts about taking action as forcefully as need be.”