CoP not speaking to media

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith spent most of a 26-minute presentation yesterday lashing out at the media and those who criticise him, before storming out of the weekly police press briefing saying he is now “Stephen Williamsing” the media.

“If the media, Omatie Lyder and Mr Paul Richards, feel that the Commissioner of Police is being seen too much in the media, he loves media – it is the media that contacts me. I get over 50 calls a day from the media," he charged.

"So now I am paying the price for being accessible to the media. So maybe I should 'Stephen Williams' myself from now on," he said, in a reference to his less media-accessible predecessor.

"So from now on the media have nothing to do with me. I have no comment to make. Be careful what you ask for because you may get just that. So, Ms Omatie Lyder and others, you must think before you type,” Griffith said before the media were told he would not be entertaining questions.

Griffith admonished the media, and in particular veteran media practitioners editor-in-chief of the Express, Omatie Lyder, TV6 presenter Dominic Kalipersad and Paul Richards, head of radio station Power 102 and an Independent Senator, to do their jobs.

“Experts like Dominic Kalipersad, who is well versed in understanding the operation of the police service – I really wish people will do a little more research north of Charlotteville to understand policing. We stay here in a vacuum and seem to know what policing is about,” he said before repeating what he told Kalipersad last Saturday, that US Federal Bureau of Investigations members have tens of officers with them when searching premises.

He lashed out at Lyder for Monday’s Express editorial which said Griffith should “focus on ensuring that the actions of the TT Police Service (TTPS) can stand up to scrutiny before a court of law and leave the court of public opinion to politicians and their popularity contests.”

The issue with Kalipersad stemmed from his questioning Griffith about what was described as a heavy-handed approach to the Radio Jaagriti search, when seven officers showed up in response to an allegation of sedition after Santan Dharma Maha Sabha head Satnarayan Maharaj reportedly made remarks critical of Tobagonians. The police were criticised by the Media Association (MATT) for their approach as well, and Griffith responded.

“In total contrast to MATT, where MATT, again, seems that their object is to protect media associates and not understand their role and function...Because Omatie Lyder stated that I do not understand the role and function of the media – I think she does not understand the role and function of the media.

"The role and function of the media is to ensure you have unbiased and good journalism,” Griffith said.

The weekly media briefing is a variation on the daily updates that former police commissioner Dwayne Gibbs and his deputy Jack Ewatski initiated during the 2011 state of emergency. After the SoE ended, the top cops continued to update the public on police matters through the weekly briefings and allowed questioning.

Yesterday, Griffith, through his media unit, invited the media to attend the weekly briefing, promising to attend.

During Griffith's 26-minute-long address, he spent seconds addressing the proposal to restructure the police service by creating a more efficient intelligence-gathering unit.

The remainder of the time was devoted to issues he had already spoken on, such as his appearance on stage at Sunday'sBuju Banton concert, the “raid” on Maharaj's radio station, and the search of Buju Banton’s hotel room the day before his concert.

Griffith started the off-the-cuff talk by saying he had come to address three minor matters.

“I have no intention to regurgitate something that keeps going on and on,” he said.