As the June 27 election of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association draws closer, Team Vanguards is confident of victory. For the past two terms, the association has been led by Insp Anand Ramesar but Vanguards firmly believe this is about to change as Insp Richard Taylor, who is running for the position of president, is sure of a clean sweep for his slate.
Managed by Margaret Sampson-Browne, the team will present its slate of candidates tomorrow under the motto, Do the Right Thing. A former police officer for 42 years, Sampson-Browne is currently the head of the victim and witness support unit.
A mother of three, Sampson-Browne easily rose to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) during her tenure in the Police Service where she also served as the association’s secretary. Despite her retirement, Sampson-Browne said she has “never stop being police,” hence her decision to manage Vanguards.
“Everything that affects me and wrongs me and embraces me is police. Even though I have left the police uniform behind, I still feel as if I am wearing the cap.
“Everything that affects police officers, in general, affects me. I want to be able to work with people to bring the Police Service forward,” Sampson-Browne said.
As the manager of Vanguards Sampson-Browne said she wants to bring cohesion to the organisation and also to work with officers to assist them in accomplishing their full potential. She has already set stipulated guidelines for her team.
“I am not supporting any member of my team who wants to wash their dirty linen in public. I am guiding the team to stay focused on the issues that have been affecting the membership of the Police Service.
“The president-in-waiting, Insp Taylor, is a very family-oriented person and his father was also a police officer. He is bringing all those traits to his team. We will be building a strong reservoir of kindness, diligence, strength, honesty, transparency and forward-thinking,” Sampson-Browne said.
Taylor, an attorney, is a court prosecutor. Four women also comprise the Vanguards, who Sampson-Browne described as strong individuals who bring additional worth to the slate.
“They all possess independent strengths and have contributed significantly to policing. Acting Sgt Cynthia Romeo-Dick has a strong Tobago background and is a very prolific instructor at the academy.
“She has been training police officers for a number of years and she has also worked in different divisions. They are women who are contesting the election, not because they are women, but because they have something to offer.
“The last executive did not have one female and women in policing must count for something,” Sampson-Browne added. While winning the election is key, she said what happens after is also critical as there are several challenging issues facing police officers including that of social welfare.
“Our police officers are dying. Issues are affecting their families, including their children. I am looking at a strong social welfare component so they can enjoy a better standard of living. People are demanding a lot from police officers but they must also exist in conditions that they and their families could feel comfortable.
“We have to ensure that the road the officers walk is not paved with gold but one that is comfortable because they have to travel on it very often,” Sampson-Browne said.
Acknowledging that throughout the years there have been a positive transformation in the way the association has been run, Sampson-Browne said Vanguards was the only answer to ensure complete change for all officers.
“We want to shine a light where apparently there is some darkness.”
Vanguards slate
• Insp Richard Taylor: president
• Inspector Sean Sookram: vice president
• Acting ASP Wendell Lucas: secretary candidate
• WPC Dane-Marie Marshal: asst secretary candidate
• Acting Senior Supt Pamela Schullera–Hinds: first division representative
• PC Kevon Beatrice: treasurer candidate
• Acting Sgt Cynthia Romeo-Dick: trustee candidate
• Acting Sgt Mahalia Bacchus: trustee candidate