Jacob to act as CoP until October 15

DEPUTY Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob will hold the reins of the police service for another three weeks after his acting stint was extended.

Jacob was first appointed by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to act as top cop until September 21, when former police commissioner Gary Griffith was expected to return to resume work as interim commissioner.

Griffith’s three-year-term ended on August 17 and he was appointed acting commissioner from August 18. He applied for and was granted two weeks' leave ending September 20.

He told Newsday on September 7 that he had applied for the leave at least two months in advance and it was granted for the period outside of his contract.

Last weekend the PSC ordered Griffith not to return as acting police commissioner, and extended Jacob's acting stint until October 15.

On Saturday Griffith threatened to sue the PSC if it did not rescind the decision and on Monday he filed his claims in court challenging the PSC's decision not to reinstate him as acting top cop.

The issue is now a matter of concern for President Paula-Mae Weekes, who said there is nothing she can do about it.

On Monday Griffith accused senior police and government officials of being part of a conspiracy to get him out of office. He charged the conspiracy may extend to his facing trumped-up criminal charges.

This accusation is not new, as Griffith also accused members of the media and criminal elements of being in cahoots to oust him while was commissioner of police.

The selection of a new police commissioner ran into its first legal pothole when rejected candidate Snr Supt Anand Ramesar was granted an injunction two weeks ago stopping the process until October 28. Ramesar wants to halt the process until the determination of his appeal against the PSC's rejection of him, which will be heard in January next year.

The PSC's decision not to allow Griffith to return came after the National Security Council appointed retired Rear Admiral Hayden Pritchard and retired Snr Supt Arthur Barrington to investigate claims of mismanagement in the issuing of firearm user's licences (FULs). The recommendation from that investigation "could not be ignored," National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds told the Senate last Friday.

After that investigation the PSC appointed retired judge Stanley John to also investigate allegations of impropriety in granting FULs.