Police officer sues commissioner over promotions

AN acting senior Supt from Roxborough, Tobago, has received the permission of a High Court judge to challenge Police Commissioner Gary Griffith over a decision to suddenly revoke the current merit list for promotion of police officers to the rank of superintendent.

Collis Hazel, who has been a police officer since November 1991, was granted leave by Justice Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell to apply for judicial review on his claim in which he is seeking declarations that the Commissioner’s decision to repeal the merit list was illegal and that he had a legitimate expectation that he would be promoted based on the 2018 merit list.

He is asking the court to direct the commission to say why he decided to repeal the list and quash the decision. Hazel also wants an order sending back the issue of his promotion to the commissioner for his consideration and a declaration that he was treated unfairly.

Hazel is represented by attorneys Anand Ramlogan, SC, Alana Rambaran and Alvin Pariagsingh.

In his claim, Hazel said he successfully passed the promotion examination for superintendent and was interviewed by the Promotion Advisory Board. He was placed 46 on the merit list. He said on September 4, 2018, the first batch of 45 officers on the list were promoted and he was next in line.

The merit list was extended until September 2020. He said a vacancy arose in December 2018 with the retirement of Supt Andy Bradshaw and since he was next on the list, he expected to be promoted.

However, according to Hazel, the merit list was suddenly revoked by the Commissioner without warning or consultation.

He says the decision by the Commissioner to revoke the list affects several officers who were awaiting promotion.