Griffith appraised by PSC but mum on findings

ALMOST two years into his role as Police Commissioner, Gary Griffith has finally been appraised by the Police Service Commission (PSC). The details of the appraisal were not revealed however, even as Griffith said it was an extensive one.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday at the Police Administration Building in Port of Spain, Griffith said the PSC looked at cost benefit analysis, statistics, public perception and “a lot.” He added that his appraisal was different from others in the past and once the PSC gives him the all clear, he will make it public.

The appraisal comes about two months after Sunday Newsday published an article concerning the failure of the PSC to complete Griffith’s appraisal. In June, Newsday was not given a reason for the lengthy delay but was told that the report was not completed and had been in abeyance since late last year.

The five-member team chaired by Bliss Seepersad is constitutionally obligated to appraise Griffith on his performance and regularly communicate with him regarding his leadership. When contacted then, Seepersad said the PSC was fully functional with three members of the five mandatory members and “we are doing our work.” She then said she had another call and hung up.

The PSC selects both the commissioner and deputy commissioners of police and submits the nominees for Parliament to decide who gets the nod. The confirmed posts of three Deputy Commissioners of Police are still outstanding as nominees were rejected by Parliament.

Asked about the appointment of his DCPs on Tuesday, Griffith said that was out of his hands and he would not comment on it. The lack of three DCPs, Griffith said, is hampering the police service from running as efficiently as he would like since he is unable to take vacation and have a tribunal to adjudicate over his most senior assistant commissioner of police and acting DCP, Irwin Hackshaw.

“I have to be very careful as this is a very technical matter. I can’t really be liaising with the PSC about it however, I have voiced my concerns and can’t speak on behalf of the PSC. I know they are doing what they can as quickly as possible but I have been CoP for two years and I have no substantive DCPs for that period.”

He added: “We have continued rotation and they come and go. As we have it, the three most seniors ACPs become acting DCPs and that is not necessarily the best. They need to act on it and there is nothing I can do, there is a process and unfortunately I can’t clarify further. I just hope that on behalf of the TTPS this can be rectified as quickly as possible.”

Also at the media briefing was acting DCP McDonald Jacob who spoke about the redevelopment of the police with an experimental change in the San Raphael Police Station.

Jacob, who did not give much information on the change, said: “We are moving forward to convert some stations into particular facilities. San Raphael is one of the stations that is earmarked to be converted into one of such. Not necessarily a reporting station. The district will be served effectively by patrols.”

He added that a hand-picked crew would be stationed at the new facility which would not operate as an ordinary police station.

Asked how many more police stations will be converted into this new type of facility, Griffith said he could not say.

Regarding private covid19 parties, and allegations of a party down the islands, Griffith said little could be done to confirm that a video circulating was in fact a video of people breaching the covid19 restrictions. He said the most he could do was charge those in attendance for "not dancing properly," given a lack of tangible evidence.

He said, however, police are aware of an advertised party for August 29 and will not speak further on the issue. Those who breach the covid19 regulations are liable to a $50,000 fine or six months in jail.