The T&T Police Social and Welfare Association will support the person who is confirmed as Police Commissioner.
And former CoP Gary Griffith has encouraged “soon-to-be appointed CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher to resist being used as a political pawn in anyone’s game.”
The reactions came yesterday following Monday’s notification sent to the Parliament from President Paula-Mae Weekes of the nomination of acting Police Commissioner Harewood-Christopher for the post of Police Commissioner.
This, after the Police Service Commission on Monday sent their merit list for the post to President Weekes.
There were less than a handful of nominees on the list, out of the 16 applicants. Certain people who’d scored high and were shortlisted in the 2018 (and failed 2021) selection process also didn’t make the 2023 merit list, it’s confirmed. Unsuccessful applicants have been notified by the PolSC.
The notification of Harewood-Christopher—who is said to have earned the highest score in the PolSC’s assessment—was immediately sent by the President to the Parliament, which debates and approves a CoP.
The nomination was immediately placed on the House of Representatives’ Order Paper for Friday to be presented.
Yesterday, Government officials indicated the nomination will also be debated on Friday.
Contacted on Christopher-Harewood’s apparent pole position for the post, TTPSWA head Gideon Dickson said, “The association respects the process and will support the person who is confirmed. We’re mindful that no one person can fix this current crime scourge and we need all law-abiding citizens and stakeholders to work in unison to address this situation.”
Griffith had topped Harewood-Christopher in the 2018 and 2021 PolSC assessments.
Yesterday, Griffith said when he reapplied for the post, he knew this new process would be manipulated to ensure a result that “one man alone wanted and he did so regardless of whether it affected citizens’ security.”
However, he said he reapplied to expose the “dictatorship that exists because of a flawed easily manipulated Constitution, with one man handpicking a President, who then handpicks what’s supposed to be an independent body which is supposed to be the PolSC and as such, the outcome was obvious.”
Alluding to a “democratic dictatorship,” which he said was when an individual has full control directly/indirectly “of what’s supposed to be an independent body,” Griffith said it’s disrespectful politicians feel they can manipulate a process so badly and not be exposed. But he said most people see through it.
“This is why Erla Harewood-Christopher is even more pivotal to our collective future, so I want to encourage the soon-to-be appointed Commissioner to resist being used as a political pawn in anyone’s game and to remember her oath in office is to be in service to the people and not be politically manipulated or controlled, even if it costs her the CoP post.”
Griffith recommended she look at TTPS officers, whom he said are some of T&T’s finest.
“While being cognisant that the process is obviously flawed, we as a nation must now move forward and fully support the soon-to-be-appointed CoP,” Griffith said.
He said personally, he’s more encouraged and determined, as his new political mission is now fully possible. He said he’d served T&T in the T&T Defence Force, as National Security adviser, National Security Minister and as CoP.
“Now, help me to help you by having me serve you in Government in the next two years,” he appealed.
The UNC will meanwhile be raising several queries at Friday’s Parliament debate concerning the nomination of Harewood-Christopher for the post.
UNC MPs, who yesterday questioned if Harewood-Christopher was indeed Government’s choice, said they were concerned about several aspects of her selection process, including what occurs if she is appointed CoP, since she is due to retire by mid-May. They also noted she had ranked third in the ill-fated 2021 merit list of the Bliss Seepersad PolSC. That list was withdrawn by Seepersad after she received information from the Prime Minister.
Sources have, however, noted that the current process was different to the 2021 assessment, including that the current PolSC in March 2022 had added a new policy to the criteria.