CoP intends to appeal Freedom of Information judgement

The Commissioner of Police (CoP) has once again accused the Trinidad Express newspaper of bias.

The comments came a day after justice Ronnie Boodoosingh ruled that Gary Griffith should give Express journalist Denyse Renne the information she requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Griffith intends to appeal the ruling, the release said.

The reporter sought answers on which firearm users' licence applicants got guns, which retired police were rehired, which soldiers were brought into the Police Service, who got contracts, and how much in salaries was paid to these retired police.

"To allude that a judge telling the police to provide information on persons hired by the Police Service, is being seen as a judge failing the police (sic), shows poor and unprofessional journalism at the highest level," Griffith said.

"So now, hundreds of manpower hours will be spent, and dozens of police will be deployed to extract data and do research instead of doing real police work…just because the Express wants the information under the FOIA."

Griffith said his assessment from the Police Service Commission (PSC) showed a "very good" grade. But the following morning, the Express used the headline, "Judge fails Gary."

He charged that rather than showing the country how he was graded nationally for a year, the Express graded him on the basis of the judgment.

"But some of the requests made to the court were denied as they fell within the exemptions within the FOIA. So the judge also failed the Express!"