From today Stephen Williams is back on the job as acting Commissioner of Police (COP) to serve yet another six month stint.
And by next year T&T will have a substantive CoP in office.
Confirmation came yesterday from chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Dr Maria Therese Gomes.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley at the PNM’s 46th annual convention said as head of the National Security Council he had no knowledge who would be acting as COP from today.
Gomes said Williams who took vacation for three months would return as acting COP for six months which ends on April 30, 2017. In his absence, Deputy Commissioner of Police Harold Phillip was appointed to act as commissioner.
“He (Williams) is coming back out on November 1 as acting Commissioner of Police,” Gomes said in a telephone interview. Williams has been acting since 2012.
In putting back Williams to act, Gomes said the PSC had notified him via a letter. Correspondence was also sent to the Ministry of National Security.
Currently, Gomes said, the PSC, an independent body, was undertaking the recruitment and selection of a permanent and substantive CoP.
She said the PSC had invited proposals from local consulting firms to provide consulting services to assist with the recruitment of a CoP and deputy CoPs. The deadline for this proposal is November 18.
“Essentially when that comes in the proposals will be evaluated. Then we would select the firm. The firm would do several things in terms of the recruitment for the commission and its behalf,” she added.
Questioned how long this process will take, Gomes said if things were to go smoothly it could take between four to six months.
“Depending on how many people apply then it can take longer or shorter to go through various screenings and assessment,” she added.
Asked if between March and April in 2017, T&T should have a new CoP on board, Gomes refused to give a deadline.
“I don’t know how long the process will take. It should not go beyond six months. If you are looking at six months from the time the firm is selected,” she added.