Commission was aware of allegations

The Police Service Commission (PSC) was aware of several allegations levelled against one of the people who recently applied for senior positions within the Police Service.

However, the commission opted not to consider said allegations during the recent recruitment exercise prior to the lists of top nominees being sent to President Anthony Carmona last week.

Sources said yesterday that the firm recruited by the PSC to conduct background checks on candidates who made it to the shortlist for the posts of Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner fo Police was restricted to only checking on the certificate of good character presented by applicants.

Newsday has learned that during the process, a PSC member requested background checks on those who were applying for the posts.

The Police Complaints Authority as well as the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) and Special Branch were asked to submit reports to the PSC. Sources said these reports reached the PSC, before the selection process, but were never considereded.

Well-placed sources said that during a meeting for the final determination of who the PSC wanted as its nominee for Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, the PSC members were split over the nominees.

Efforts to reach outgoing PSC chairman Marie Therese Gomes for a comment yesterday proved futile.

Her tenure as chairman was scheduled to come to an end yesterday.