Police officer challenges Israel Khan

A police officer said he is ready for any legal backlash after he posted a video on social media criticising comments made by Senior Counsel Israel Khan about the racial composition of the Police Service.

The officer said the country has gone past race and described those of the view that there is a racial imbalance in the Police Service, favouring people of African descent, as “clowns”.
Contacted for comment, he told Newsday he has 30 years’ service, is nearing the end of his policing career, and is not afraid of any backlash as he “did not call any names.”

The officer, who works in the Central Division, said he had already spoken with his senior counsel and was advised that he did no wrong.

He welcomed the idea of being sued, saying he was ready to “make some money.”
“All of a sudden this man talking about race. Where he made all his money? Not in Port of Spain? Which race is the dominant race in Port of Spain? Not the African? So why he talking that kinda stupidness?”

President of the Police Social and Welfare Association Insp Michael Seales said he had no comment on the issue, whether in response to Khan or the officer.

In a letter to soon-to-be Police Commissioner Gary Griffith, Khan called on him to remember his mixed heritage and to include more ethnicities in the Police Service as there was an imbalance.

The lawyer’s comments are rehashed from a letter he had sent to then head of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Nizam Mohammed. Khan is claiming only ten per cent of police officers are of East Indian descent.

He said there may be some discriminating practices that favour people of African descent.
Similar comments were made a year later by Mohammed during a joint select committee meeting. However, he was not supported by his colleagues in the PSC.