Ag CoP among top 3

Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) Stephen Williams is among three people shortlisted for the post of Commissioner of Police.

Sources revealed yesterday that Williams, former National Security Minister Gary Griffith and president of the Police Social Welfare Association acting ASP Michael Seales gained top scores in phases 1 and 2 of the recruitment process.

The Police Service Commission (PSC), along with a recruitment firm hired to select the commissioner and two deputies, has now started phase three of the selection process, which involves security vetting and medicals. Sources said ACP Irwin Hackshaw, Police Social Welfare Association secretary Anand Ramesar, and ACPs Harikrishen Baldeo and Harold Phillip are among those scoring the highest marks for the deputy commissioner posts. After the third phase, the PSC will send the name of the person who scored the highest in the three phases to President Anthony Carmona. The names of two deputy commissioners will also be sent to Carmona. All the names will then be sent to the House of Representatives for vetting, when the Government can then either accept or reject those proposed. This process is expected to be completed by year’s end. In 2008, Williams was selected by Penn State University as the choice for Commissioner of Police but was rejected by the PNM Government.