Police Service Commission (PSC) chairman Dr Maria Therese-Gomes yesterday admitted the commission was not in support of an election for a commissioner of police, as this process could be “utterly convoluted.”
Therese-Gomes made the comment as she appeared before a Joint Select Committee on National Security chaired by Fitzgerald Hinds at Tower D, Port-of-Spain.
The recommendation of voting for a CoP was made by the Police Manpower Audit Committee, chaired by Professor Ramesh Deosaran, which was set up by the Government to conduct an audit into the TTPS.
But Therese-Gomes said the PSC was not in agreement.
“I think that was one of the poor recommendations of that document (manpower audit) that the media chose to highlight. We do not support the election of a police commissioner because that would be utterly convoluted,” she said, adding the PSC cannot allow themselves or the public to fall for that.
Acting Commissioner Stephen Williams, former Police Social Welfare Association president Anand Ramesar, former national security minister Gary Griffith, Assistant Commissioner Irwin Hackshaw and retired policeman and calypsonian Wayne “Watchman” Hayde were among those interviewed last month by KPMG, the recruitment firm hired by the PSC to select the most suitable applicant for the post.
Hinds yesterday asked Therese-Gomes if she agreed the T&T Police Service (TTPS) management was to some extent accountable to the PSC, National Security Minister, Cabinet and the courts. He said the impression one got was that "serious sanctions" had not been applied by the PSC.
“Then so far as the management and accountability of the police service is concerned to the commission that is not very effective?” Hinds suggested.
Therese-Gomes agreed with Hinds, saying they were trying to revamp the police service's regulations in November in order to put serious sanctions in place, but didn’t. She admitted the TTPS “is not in the shape they should be in.”
Hinds told Therese-Gomes they were about to hire a CoP knowing full well he or she is not going to be fully accountable to the PSC, as their management structure was weak.
“It appears as though the only real accountability that the police has is to the courts.”
Hind said in the police manpower audit, it was recommended that a a police inspectorate be implemented. He asked Therese-Gomes to share her thoughts on this recommendation.
Therese-Gomes said the structure of the commission needed to be amended to give them “financial autonomy” and “the teeth” to do what needed to be done. She said changing the PSC’s name was not an option and would only appease the public and political directorate.
“We have flaws and we have cracks. But those things can be fixed,” she said.
While the Constitution gives the PSC the power to fire or discipline a CoP and his deputies, Therese-Gomes said this never took place.
“So we have only had excellent commissioners?" Hinds responded.
Member Saddam Hosein asked why was it so difficult to appoint a CoP and if they were ready to elect a commissioner as recommended in the manpower audit.
In response, Therese-Gomes said when she became chairman she asked the same question. Noting some of the legislative challenges which had plagued their operations, Therese-Gomes said it would be wise in the future to consult the people who have to do the implementation.