Ex-acting CoP: Guevarro good fit for top cop

FORMER acting commissioner of police (CoP) McDonald Jacob believes Special Branch acting superintendent Allister Guevarro could be a good CoP and what the police service needs at time.

On June 13, the House of Representatives will sit to debate a motion filed in the name of Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander to approve Guevarro's nomination by the Police Service Commission (PSC) to be CoP.

The motion states Section 123(3) of the Constitution provides that the PSC shall submit to the President a list of the names of those nominated for appointment to the offices of Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

Section 123 (4) of the Constitution states the President shall issue a notification of each person nominated under subsection (3) and this notification shall be subject to affirmative resolution of the House.

The motion said the PSC has submitted Guevarro's name for appointment to the office of CoP.

The President issued this notification on May 9 and the motion states "it is expedient to approve the notification."

The House will also debate a second motion in Alexander's name, to approve the PSC's nomination of assistant CoP Wayne Mystar to act as a DCP. The notification of this nomination was issued by the President on June 3.

The motion to approve Guevarro's nomination for CoP is in keeping with a commitment made by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at a post-cabinet news conference at the Red House, Port of Spain on May 15.

“In the short term, we need to get a substantive CoP, and changes to the legislation will take us a little more time, which will then subvert really what is the present law."

She added, "Certainly, we will consider changes to the law. AG (John Jeremie), we have talked about it, but not in the short term. I think in the short term, I really would await the PSC’s recommendations, which were sent to the President."

Persad-Bissessar said those recommendations would be brought to the Parliament in accordance with law.”

Her comments were made in relation to events surrounding the appointment of DCP Junior Benjamin as acting CoP on February 5.

Benjamin was appointed acting CoP on that day when a related motion was passed in the House. The motion was moved by then prime minister Dr Keith Rowley.

This happened because of the suspension of the CoP, Erla Harewood-Christopher, because of a police probe into the import of two sniper rifles for the Strategic Services Agency.

Her suspension was lifted on May 10, after Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC said he found there was no evidence to support any criminal offence against Harewood-Christopher.

Her contract was due to end on May 14 but she did not resume her duties.

On May 15, Persad-Bissessar said government agreed to buy out Harewood-Christopher's remaining vacation leave which a recent statement by the Homeland Security Ministry had said was 66 days.

"So we will be looking towards a new commissioner – which we were supposed to be doing anyhow – (as) Ms (Harewood-) Christopher would have retired because of her birthday (on May 14)."

Jacob: Benjamin, police will support Guevarro

Jacob, who was appointed acting CoP in December 2021, was Harewood-Christopher's predecessor.

In a telephone interview, Jacob said he knew Guevarro as an experienced police officer and investigator.

"I think he is quite apt to hold position of CoP."

Jacob hoped the Parliament would do what it was required to do, now that the PSC had provided Guevarro's nomination to the President.

Should the House approve Guevarro's nomination, he continued, that should not diminish the performance of Benjamin as acting CoP in any way.

Jacob was confident that as CoP, Guevarro would get the full support of Benjamin and other senior police officers.

"They all operate as a team."

He said it is important to settle leadership roles in the Police Service because it needs to "settle down to deal with the safety and the security of the nation."

Guevarro and Benjamin were unavailable for comment.

In a telephone interview, Alexander said Guevarro is a police officer.

Asked whether he believed Guevarro was qualified to be CoP, Alexander said, "This process was done by the PSC."

He added the commission would have followed all the necessary procedures they were required to, in order to determine the most suitable applicant for the job.

"They would have completed the procedure and the names were sent to the President by the PSC."

Alexander said the House would debate the matter as required by law.

He added he knew Guevarro.

"I know he is an officer who worked in the Special Branch and all of that."

Alexander expected the House to have a comprehensive discussion about whether Guevarro is qualified to be CoP.

"We hope that all will be well."

In a WhatsApp comment, criminologist Darius Figuera said, "I know very little of Mr Gueverro in the TTPS (TT Police Service)."

He added, on that basis, he could not make "a reasoned assessment of him."

Figuera said he was more familiar with Mystar.

"Mr Mystar based on his job performance is quite fit for the post of DCP, even for a bold move for CoP."

Guevarro an experienced officer

According to his Facebook page, Guevarro is from Moruga and studied law-enforcement leadership at International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), San Salvador, El Salvador.

Founded in 2005 in El Salvador, ILEA San Salvador is a bi-national institution that focuses on training law enforcement professionals of Latin America and the Caribbean in order to provide them with modern tools and techniques to combat transnational crime.

The institution was part of a network of international academies that were created at the initiative of then US President Bill Clinton, to fight transnational crimes such as the international trafficking of drugs, criminality and terrorism.

ILEA San Salvador was formed through signing of an agreement between the El Salvador's Justice and Public Security Ministry and the US Embassy in El Salvador.

In February 2022, Guevarro was part of a thee-member team appointed by the Office of the Prime Minister to investigate a nationwide blackout which happened at that time.

Then finance minister Colm Imbert said Guevarro's role was to examine the national security aspects of the outage.

Guevarro has been a police officer for the last 20 years and has reportedly served in several key investigative roles during his tenure.

One of those roles was reportedly to investigate the rescinding of a merit list issued by the PSC in 2021.

Former CoP Gary Griffith, whose tenure ended in August 2021, has argued the rescinding of that list prevented him from returning as CoP later that year.

He has filed a lawsuit against former PSC chair Bliss Seepersad on that matter.

Griffith: CoP appointment process must change

Griffith, who is also a former national security minister, said he was not going to comment about people chosen by the PSC for any post in the Police Service.

"The individuals...I have nothing for them or against them. I am just hoping that the best person can be selected. My comments will have nothing to do with my personal view of the individuals."

Griffith said, "My concern, yet again, I will stress again, is what happens is that after the amendment was made whereas an international impartial body would have done the assessment to select the CoP. That was when you knew for a fact, there was no political involvement or no political manipulation.

He added, "So when Penn State (University) selected Dwayne Gibbs (in 2010), you knew for sure Dwayne Gibbs was the best person because there was no interference by politicians who could handpick persons in the PSC."

Griffith recalled the process for his selection as CoP in 2018.

"When I was selected CoP the first time, Erla (Harewood-) Christopher did not come in the top 20 because international experts measured her performance and saw that she did not fit the bill."

Griffith said the legislation subsequently changed, allowing the PSC to select candidates for posts in the Police Service rather than engaging external agencies to do those assessments.

"Lo and behold when it was changed for a government who will handpick a president who will then handpick members of the PSC, which opens the window for political manipulation...political direction...involvement...persons singing for their supper...adhering to what politicians may want because they indirectly appointed them...Erla Christopher...who did not come in the top 20...automatically became number one."

Griffith claimed that meant the PSC was either incompetent or could have been influenced.

"It is the same thing here again. This is not in any way to state that the person/persons who are selected are not deserving to be number one."

Griffith warned, "This will cause a great degree of perception."

He said Guevarro could very well be the right person to become CoP.

But he added certain perceptions could hamper Guevarro's ability to function properly as commissioner.

Griffith said there were questions whether Guevarro was a member of Rowley's security detail or was handpicked to be part of the team to investigate the February 2022 nationwide blackout.

"We should revert to an impartial, neutral, external, highly professional police unit (to) select the person to be CoP."

Griffith claimed no member of the current PSC had any experience, training or qualification in law enforcement.

"So on what grounds can they have any ability to know who is the best person for the job?"

Griffith said it was difficult to say whether or not the commission has been "influenced...coerced in any way to select someone who the previous government would have recommended."

He repeated, "This is not in any way, I want to stress, to state that that is the case."

Griffith said the facts are the PSC is selected by a president who is in turn selected by a government.