After newspaper report, top cop Griffith probes politician cop

Police Commissioner Gary Griffith has launched an investigation following a newspaper report of a man actively seeking political office with a political party while on the payroll of the police service.

Griffith, in a press release made it abundantly clear, "When you join the TT Police Service, you immediately lose certain rights as a citizen. He said he is now investigating allegations of a police officer applying and being interviewed for a political post while in the service and being quoted in the media of openly expressing his support and allegiance to the principles of that said party.

Section 40 of the Police Service Act Chapter 15:01 states "A police officer is disqualified from membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Tobago House of Assembly, or a Municipal Corporation."

Section 133 also states: An officer: (a) shall not engage in any activity, occupation or undertaking which would impair his usefulness

Section 139, he said, states: "An officer shall not make any public expression of political and sectarian opinions, and shall bear himself with strict impartiality in all matters."

A police officer holds immense authority, which includes that power to take away the rights of freedom of other citizens, hence at no time, must there even be the perception that an officer can and would use such authority to show any degree of bias in the performance of his duties, the release said.

If one wants to have such rights to freely express his/her political alliance, and even to officially join, support, and represent any political party holding any political post, he/she must resign. Prior to being selected as police commissioner, Griffith was a former National Security Minister and was also National Security advisor to then prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

Between the period of swearing such an oath, to when you tender your resignation from the TTPS, any such action could be seen as being biased and politically motivated, and also would be in breach of TTPS Regulations and relevant disciplinary action would be taken, he warned in the release.

The press release stated that only a few weeks ago, Griffith had cause to caution an officer for showing open support to a political party and making scathing attacks against another party via social media. This clearly means, Griffith said, that there are officers who are not aware of the regulations in the TTPS.

Presently, another investigation is ongoing of reports of a police officer in Tobago who likewise, has openly expressed his support for one political party, with reports of him trying to influence citizens to support said political party.

Griffith also said he had noted comments regarding the alleged reason for an officer not being selected by a community to represent them, being that he is seen as "an informant."

Any community, inclusive of politicians who see "informants" as a source of concern, can be seen as being part of the problem, Griffith said. He added that he shudders to think that any politician or community with law-abiding citizens would have issues of someone being an "informant", who would be there to prevent crime rather than cause it.

If this is remotely accurate, Griffith said in the release, it goes in line with his recent statement about the social decay of our society, whereby a community is accused of being upset that someone is an informant, not for being perceived as providing information to cause crime, but to provide information to the police to prevent crime and arrest criminals.

And this is seen as being the improper type for representation by some, as it gives the perception that a cold-blooded criminal or gang leader, can be seen as being the type who they prefer to represent and lead them. This is the type of social decay which must be addressed by our nation, as policing alone cannot fix such misguided views, Griffith said.