Former Snr Supt Cyril Harry believes widening the candidate pool for the selection of a police commissioner can brew trouble in the Police Service if an officer of a lesser rank is promoted ahead of a senior. While agreeing the proposed criteria can help to choose a suitable top cop, he said he did not know if a superintendent or senior superintendent promoted to commissioner would get the support of officers who once delegated over him or her.
He added: “I think it is a fair point that was brought up to widen the pool to include superintendents instead of just focusing on a few. “I have no problem with that but the only concern I have, knowing the culture existing in the TTPS, if there is a suitable candidate at the rank of superintendent or senior superintendent, would they get the support from other members of the service?
“An ACP (assistant commissioner of police) or DCP (deputy commissioner of police) may look at a senior superintendent or superintendent being selected before him or her and that can create some problems. “This happened with former commissioner Dwayne Gibbs. Because he was a foreigner he lacked the support of members of the organisation and this created a problem for him.”
Calls were made to the first division officers representative in the Police Social Welfare Association, former Snr Supt David Lewis, but there was no answer. If Government succeeds in amending the Police Service Commission Act, scores of first division officers would be eligible for the top position. However, many of them, retired and present, declined to speak on the issue.
Officers tight-lipped
ACP Deodath Dulalchan: “I don’t want to be quoted and I don’t want to get myself involved in that kind of thing.”
Snr Supt Cecil Santana: “I don’t want to comment on that.”
Former CoP Trevor Paul: “I really have no view on that. To be quite honest, I have not really studied the whole thing so I don’t really wish to comment. I’ll prefer to let the people do their thing and let me enjoy my retirement.”
Former acting CoP James Philbert: “I really have not paid much attention on it so I don’t want to comment at that time.”
Former DCP Mervyn Richardson: “I won’t like to comment on that right now.”
Former acting DCP Gilbert Reyes: “No comment on that.”