Commissioner, deputy must have master's degrees

PEOPLE applying for the top cop posts of commissioner of police and deputy commissioner of police must now have a master's degree, announced acting Finance Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

He was speaking on Thursday at the post-Cabinet media briefing held at the Diplomatic Centre, Port of Spain.

He said the Cabinet had approved the upgraded specification as requested by the Police Service Commission; previously only a bachelor's degree was required.

Asked how many officers in the service currently had master's degrees, Hinds said he did not have that information but there were many highly qualified officers. He also said he did not know if Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith had a master's degree, but after a check confirmed that Griffith did and it was in security management.

Asked if there was a specification for the type of master's degree, Hinds replied "Today's policing requires all kinds of sets."

Communications Minister Donna Cox added people with degrees related to law enforcement would have an extra edge.

Asked how the increased requirement would affect the remuneration for these posts Hinds said that was not discussed but it would have to be worked on.