No word on new CoP yet

With just three days to go before year’s end, the Police Service Commission (PSC) is yet to announce the name of the next police commissioner.

Contacted yesterday, a member of the PSC would only say: “We are busy working on that.”

Pressed further, the PSC member repeated the statement.

In October, PSC chairman Dr Marie Therese Gomes said the most suitable candidate would be appointed by year’s end.

Sources have since told Newsday that three candidates were shortlisted. They were acting CoP Stephen Williams, now serving in his seventh stint as top cop; former national security minister Gary Griffith; and president of the Police Social and Welfare Association, acting ASP Michael Seales.

The three were said to have gained top scores in phases one and two of the recruitment process.

Among those said to be in the running for deputy commissioner are ACP Irwin Hackshaw, Police Social and Welfare Association secretary Anand Ramesar and ACPs Harikrishen Baldeo and Harold Phillip.

In 2008, Penn State University selected Williams as commissioner but he was rejected by the PNM government.

The recently-released findings of the police manpower audit made a strong case for the public to be more involved in electing a new commissioner.

But Gomes, during a recent joint select committee meeting, said such a process would be too convoluted.

The audit committee was headed by criminologist Prof Ramesh Deosaran.