Police association wants more say in selection of top cops

President of the police Social Welfare Association (TTPSSWA) acting Insp Gideon Dickson feels there should have been more consultation with the Police Service Commission (PSC) to discuss changes in the procedure, in the interest of fairness and transparency.

Current Police Commissioner Gary Griffith's contract is expected to come to an end in two months and he says he is applying for the job again.

Dickson said while he is not opposed to a more streamlined selection process for the positions of commissioner and deputy commissioners of police (DCP), citing a legal notice which highlighted changes in the selection process, where the mandate to advertise the post internationally was removed, Dickson said this was not the first time the PSC has overlooked the association as a major stakeholder.

He urged the commission to reconsider its approach.

"In 2019 they would have changed the legislation to say a candidate must have a masters (degree) to apply for the post of commissioner and DCP. We weren't consulted then either.

"Now they want to improve the system, and again we weren't consulted.

"This we cannot accept. There should be equity, due process and fairness. Anything short of that we see as spurious, and these things affect morale of serving career officers and by extension the subordinate staff."

The proposed changes have not yet been approved by the House of Representatives and the Police Service Commission cannot act until they are approved.

Dickson said his association was calling on the PSC, the Attorney General and the Minister of National Security for more consultation.

Describing the recent changes to the selection process as the PSC "moving the goal post" for candidates, Dickson also asked what would become of two candidates who applied for the job of DCP, saying such decisions caused potential candidates unnecessary stress and anxiety.

In April McDonald Jacob was appointed as DCP.

To date acting DCPs Erla Christopher and Joanne Archie have not yet been confirmed to their posts.

"The question the association is asking is what became of these other people and the level of trauma, stress and anxiety which is lingering as a result of the attempted revocation of that entire process which was used in 2018 to select a commissioner and 2021 to select a DCP.

"We have two other vacancies: what is the status of those positions?"

"The association sees this as a manipulation of the system and also attempts at political interference and we call on the authorities to come clear and complete the process before they try to change anything else."

Newsday sent questions via e-mail to the PSC's communications unit on Monday. The unit acknowledged receipt but did not provide any responses up to press time.

Newsday also tried to contact Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi but was unsuccessful.