Union responds to social media group: Stop slandering police

THE POLICE Social and Welfare Association (PSSWA) in a media release called for a stop to what was described as “an unsubstantiated, vicious public smear campaign against hard-working career officers of the TTPS” after a social media group established in support of former police commissioner Gary Griffith made allegations against an investigating officer in two cases involving high-ranking police officers.

“The constitution provides for the support of candidates and that right should be exercised responsibly and without the character assassination of people,” the PSSWA release said. “Any allegation of impropriety by any officer can be reported officially to the internal and external agencies tasked with police oversight.

“Slandering of an officer’s good name under the guise of anonymity or on social media is a dastardly act with far-reaching consequences,” the release added. “The PSSWA will strongly support any member who is attacked in such a manner.”

Inspector Gideon Dickson, president of the PSSWA, told Newsday that several officers have been “slandered” by a body purporting itself as supporters of Griffith.

He said the latest attempt was on Saturday, after an administrator on the page made a post suggesting that an investigating officer who operates at the Professional Standards Bureau, was put at the centre of two investigations – one involving head of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) and nominee for deputy commissioner of police, Mark Hernandez, and another involving head of the police legal unit Christian Chandler.

Hernandez was charged with misbehaviour in public office, stemming from the deaths of Joel Balcon and Andrew Morris who died in police custody during the Andrea Bharatt murder investigation and Chandler was slapped with five charges including breaching public health regulations, obstruction of Coast Guard officers and possession of a firearm without a Firearm User’s License, coming out of an incident on his yacht, “Knot Guilty,” on August 5.

The post on Saturday made a number of allegations about the investigator's conduct and familial ties.

Dickson, in a conversation with Newsday, warned that such allegations could further erode the trust and confidence that the public had in the police.

“We are in the profession where we would have to investigate and bring perpetrators before the court. These unsubstantiated claims by members of the public in order to get their desire in terms of who they want as commissioner of police, we cannot accept at all.

“They have been embarking on a series of slanderous comments on career officers, and they cannot go out into the public and speak on their own behalf. The association is the only entity that can represent them. To go about using social media hype for allegations that have been unfounded has a negative impact on the officer and also has implications on other matters that the officer may have before the court,” Dickson said.

Dickson said legal counsel is being sought on the matters.