A directive from acting Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams to stop all extra duty is not sitting well with his junior charges, who say the money the make from this is what they use to pay the majority of their bills.
But while officers in several divisions complained about the directive, the Police Social and Welfare Association (PSWA) said yesterday officers must put their job before anything.
Extra duty is work given to the police to provide security to private entities at events. Citizens pay the TTPS a fee depending on their manpower request and the officers are paid a fraction of this according to their rank. They are allowed to use police vehicles, uniforms and firearms in carrying out these duties.
In an unsigned warning advisory issued in the Southern Division on Wednesday, officers were told that with immediate effect, “extra duty must not be performed at any store, grocery, bar, club or at any other business places during the Christmas period, 2017, as instructed by the Commissioner of Police on Tuesday 5 December, 2017. Also, persons who paid money for extra duties must be refunded as soon as practicable and notified in writing of the aforementioned instructions.”
It further stated, “You are therefore warned that failure to comply with this instruction would result in disciplinary action being instituted against you.”
Stations were told to advise business owners to hire private security.
Senior officers told the T&T Guardian Williams issued the directive to all divisions as he wants all officers thoroughly rested while off duty, as the service will be upping the ante on crime prevention.
On Tuesday, acting National Security Minister Stuart Young said there would be an increase in law enforcement activity in the build-up to Carnival 2018 in light of the recent spike in murders.
The directive now means officers can miss out on an additional $1,000 to $2,000 in supplemental monthly income.
“Officers are frustrated. They feel helpless because they will be unable to meet certain financial needs and for those with children,” an officer who spoke on condition of anonymity told the T&T Guardian.
“Also, they feel as though the CoP is not concerned with their welfare so they are not motivated. Christmas duties are usually stressful with the number of increased patrols and many officers have not been receiving their overtime payments because the service is saying it has no money to pay, so officers have to depend on extra duty to make ends meet.”
But PSWA secretary Anand Ramesar cited officers’ lack of ability in managing their resources properly as part of the reason they have to rely on extra duty. Ramesar suggested Williams provide a platform for officers to access financial training to better manage their monthly incomes.
He said the association is aware there is a higher demand for officers for patrols during the Christmas season and given the current surge in murders, he believes it is necessary to increase police presence.
“A policeman’s entire time must be available to the police service. If there is a competing interest between the strategy of the police service and the need for a citizen to have extra duty, then the needs of the police service must override that need for extra duty.”