15 short-listed for top cop post

Fifteen police officers have been short-listed to be interviewed for the post of Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioners.

The recruitment firm KPMG, which was hired by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to select the most suitable applicant for the post of Commissioner and two Deputy Commissioners, sent out letters last week, informing the 15 applicants that they had passed the first phase of the selection exercise and will now move on to the second stage of being interviewed.

The 15 officers underwent a psychometric evaluation recently and based on the results, they were then selected to move on to the second phase where they will face a panel of interviewers who will question them on effective policing and management of the police service.

Those 15 officers will be then placed on an order of merit list and the final group selected would then move on to the third phase where they will be asked to subject themselves to a mock press conference.

Following the third phase, the names of the most successful applicants will be placed on another order of merit list for final selection for the post of Commissioner and two Deputy Commissioners.

Sources revealed yesterday that former Minister of National Security Gary Griffith as well as Acting Commissioner Stephen Williams, Assistant Commissioners Irwin Hackshaw, Harikrishen Baldeo, Mc Donald Jacob, Earla Christopher, ASP Anand Ramesar, Acting ASP Michael Seales and others are among the 15 selected for the next round of interviews.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Harold Phillip, who did not apply for the position of Commissioner but is hoping to qualify as one of the two Deputy Commissioners is among the 15 selected for interviews for that post.

Chairman of the Police Service Commission Marie Therese-Gomes told Newsday that she expects the new Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners to be in office by year’s end.