Jacob: Police priority to solve crime, looks forward to substantive CoP

Acting Police Commissioner Mc Donald Jacob says while the police service is looking forward to the appointment of a substantive Commissioner of Police after the collapse of the Police Service Commission, it is focused on fulfilling their mandate.

Jacob’s comment comes one day after former Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said he was not bothered by the collapse of the PSC. Griffith comments came hours after the chairman and final member of the PSC, Bliss Seepersad, resigned last week. Three other members – Courtney McNish, Dr Susan Craig-James and Roger Kawalsingh also resigned over the unilateral decision of the chairman to suspend Griffith.

On Friday, retired deputy commissioner of police Vincel Edwards, a candidate nominated to fill one of the five vacancies of the PSC, withdrew his offer to serve leaving the President to start from scratch.

The PSC prior to its collapse appointed Jacob to act as Police Commissioner until October 15. Griffith who was appointed to act from August 17 was subsequently suspended pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of corruption into the granting of firearm user's licences. The suspension has since been lifted and Griffith remains on leave voluntarily. He intends to resume his acting position on October 16 after Jacob's acting stint expires.

On Friday, when asked about the PSC’s implosion, Jacob said: “That will affect the appointment of a Police Commissioner but we are relentless in our duties and have even ramped up our police mechanisms.”

He said he and his officers are “motivated and focused” on the protection of citizens and they are “looking on as it comes.”

Jacob said he had just left an award ceremony where members of the Inter-Agency Task Force and K9 unit were commended for their work in retrieving illegal guns.

On Thursday, when asked if he was concerned about the PSC collapsing, Griffith said: “Not my business. I would expect that if and when a new PSC is appointed, the points and merit list, which was fully completed for the substantive post after several assessments were conducted in a proper manner, would then simply be forwarded to Her Excellency the President then to Parliament for selection.”