The failure of the Police Service to investigate properly major crimes is the main reason given by the Police Social and Welfare Association for its opposition to a move to buy out the vacation leave of several senior police officers due to retire soon.
Several executive members of the association expressed the view yesterday at a press conference at its office at the Besson Street Police Station held in response to the plan reportedly being considered by acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams and National Security Minister Carl Alfonso.
Referring to multiple investigations which have remained unsolved, including last year’s murder of Senior Counsel Dana Seetahal and a multi-million dollar security van heist in Trincity, two years ago, the executive members stated that the senior officers being considered in the buyout were mainly to blame.
“It is the same managers that are responsible for the detection rate so nothing will be different if you allow them to stay on. What we need to do is allow somebody else to come with newer ideas and fresher professional energy to take us to a different realm,” the association’s secretary, Insp Michael Seales, said.
He also claimed that although not yet implemented the proposed move had already begun to demoralise qualified junior officers who have been aspiring to take over the senior officers’ post on their retirement.
“The commissioner is not saying openly that he does not have confidence in these other officers because if he does so he knows the dangers in that but he is saying that indirectly by his actions,” Seales said.
His views were supported by the association’s president Insp Anand Ramesar, who also claimed that the Government’s involvement in the process may compromise the perceived integrity of the senior police officers. He also contended that the buyout process was illegal.
“We are also saying there is no structure in place for the commissioner to introduce a policy to buy out vacation leave.
“I don’t know what Police Service Act or Regulation the commissioner is reading but it is clearly not the one that is designed for the membership and well being of the TTPS,” Ramesar said as he noted his organisation had already retained a senior attorney to file an injunction preventing the move.
Both Seales and Ramesar also criticised Williams by pointing to a similar situation last year when he (Williams) opposed a move to buy out former head of the Homicide Bureau ACP Wayne Dick’s vacation leave.
“When he (Dick) comes back he must take his rightful place in the TTPS and not be kept out from where he should be because the very thing he asked for you giving it to these others,” Ramesar said, as he contended that the move to buy out Dick’s leave was a ploy to block his promotion to the rank of Deputy Commissioner.
In an interview with radio station I95.5 yesterday morning, Williams said the association was free to file an injunction if it wanted.
However, he defended his position as he stated there was no favouritism involved to the buyout process as all first division officers who have more than 90 days leave were being considered in the scheme.