The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Trinidad Police Commissioner Arrested

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granite 2/2/25, 4:46:12 PM
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debut: 11/1/13
14,279 runs

Bad Police men they'll do better next time,I would like to tell the rest of the Caribbean that we do have intelligent people in TT some chupid ones too.lol
sudden 2/2/25, 5:06:36 PM
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debut: 11/27/06
53,929 runs

i still want to understand the need for a civilian spy agency in a small island, allowing that TT is a small island?
sgtdjones 2/2/25, 5:22:24 PM
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debut: 2/16/17
38,541 runs

In reply to Narper

Narps....

"Failure of Leadership: COP's Negligence Exposes Cracks in Accountability and Calls for Immediate Resignation"

Under a State of Emergency (SOE), the weight of accountability becomes even greater, particularly for those entrusted with safeguarding public trust and national integrity. In this case, the Commissioner of Police (COP) of Trinidad and Tobago finds herself facing a situation that not only exposes personal lapses but also the systemic vulnerabilities within T&T governance structures. The implications of such negligence cannot and should not be understated.

Let us be clear: the signing of documents that allowed the importation of weapons without adequate due diligence is not simply an administrative error—it is a glaring failure of responsibility. For someone in a position as critical as the COP, this oversight speaks to a deeper issue of either complacency or incompetence. Such actions—or lack thereof—place the safety of an entire nation at risk, and there can be no excuse for this kind of recklessness.

Even more troubling is the realization that this moment of personal accountability for the COP comes only after she has been subjected to the same treatment countless citizens endure daily—questioning, legal uncertainty, and a lack of resources for adequate defense. Is this what it takes for those in power to grasp the harsh realities faced by the average citizen? If so, it is a damning indictment of how disconnected authority figures can be from the very people they are meant to serve.

The COP’s experience should not be viewed as a moment of personal growth or newfound understanding—it is far too late for that.
Her role requires foresight, diligence, and a dedication to justice that goes beyond individual circumstances.
Simply put, approving important decisions without giving them careful consideration is a dereliction of duty and cannot be justified as a human error.

When such a breach of trust occurs, there is no room for equivocation. An immediate resignation is not just appropriate—it is necessary.
Leadership is not about clinging to power in the face of failure but about accepting the consequences of one’s actions and putting the nation’s interests above personal ambition.
Anything less would be an insult to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, who expect and deserve better from those in positions of authority.

This is a moment of reckoning, not just for the individual in question but for the systems that allowed such a failure to occur.
It demands not only her resignation but also a thorough investigation into the processes and cultural attitudes within the police force and other governing bodies.
If T&T do not seize this opportunity for reform, T&T are complicit in perpetuating a cycle of negligence and unaccountability.

The time for excuses and half-measures is over.
Accountability must be swift, decisive, and, above all, real.
Only then can T&T begin to restore the trust that has been so carelessly squandered.

Sarge
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sgtdjones 2/2/25, 5:53:51 PM
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debut: 2/16/17
38,541 runs

Send Erla on leave immediately

T&T Express Editorial

The Government’s first and foremost task this week is to reassure citizens that the country is not in a state of anarchy following the arrest of Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher.That starts with her being sent immediately on administrative leave. Until that happens, she is still the official CoP, which is obviously untenable in the present circumstances. Whether Mrs Harewood-Christopher is eventually cleared of the charges against her or not, it is important to send an immediate message that the authorities are moving with despatch to handle the situation.

The Government itself faces an even more challenging task in restoring public confidence. It was the Government that chose Ms Harewood-Christopher as CoP in February 2023 and then extended her appointment for one year in May 2024. Now, even if she is eventually found to have been acting within her remit on the charges brought against her, Harewood-Christopher’s tenure as CoP has effectively ended. If for political reasons alone, the present administration is unlikely to extend her contract come May.

Nor will her time in office be remembered favourably. Exactly a year ago, after she appeared before Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on National Security, we wrote in this space, “As head of the TTPS, Ms Christopher lacks competence, credibility, and conviction. If she cannot revamp her entire approach and show some significant progress in fighting crime within the next few months, then she needs to reconsider her role as the holder of a crucial office in this country.”
bravos 2/2/25, 5:54:45 PM
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debut: 10/14/09
41,538 runs

In reply to sudden

Security and mischief making , for dey agendas ! Dangerous shyte, there have been murders connected to SSA . Dangerous and powerful clowns...they've been watching too many movies, idiots, 'never see - come see'...

Dey badder dan de CIA an ting ...
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sgtdjones 2/2/25, 6:08:27 PM
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debut: 2/16/17
38,541 runs

Dark day for Trinidad and Tobago

Newsday Editorial

ON JANUARY 28, Erla Harewood-Christopher was presiding over a promotion ceremony at the Police Administration Building, Port of Spain, urging four new inspectors and 77 new sergeants to recognize “the importance of integrity.” Two days later, the top cop was arrested and is treated as a suspect in relation to a criminal investigation led by senior officers whom she would have posed with for pictures at the promotion ceremony, just days prior.This fast-paced sequence of events has thrown the TTPS, the national security apparatus and, indeed, the entire country into a state of unease and trepidation.
Some of the top brass present in the briefing room appeared visibly shaken and shell-shocked.

Howsoever this matter unfolds – no wrongdoing has been proven; reports have emerged suggesting Ms Harewood-Christopher fell ill – the taking in of the top cop in relation to a probe as serious as this one is a dark day for the country.

It paints a picture of a tainted police force, a force already damaged by 2024’s record murders, reports of corruption and complicity, and the paralysis of bodies like the Police Service Commission and the Police Complaints Authority when it comes to being watchdogs
sgtdjones 2/2/25, 6:15:30 PM
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debut: 2/16/17
38,541 runs

Curious and curiouser

T&T Guardian Editorial

The written judgment by the Privy Council released on January 28 regarding Minister Colm Imbert's attempt to prevent the Auditor General’s challenge to the Cabinet-ordered investigation into her handling of the 2023 public accounts audit signals executive overreach. There can be little doubt that the Auditor General’s disclaimer of opinion on the revenue collection system raises serious matters of public concern that warrant further investigation and disclosure.The Auditor General is a messenger empowered by S116 (6) to deliver uncomfortable messages without interference from the executive. The real question has not been answered. Has all the information necessary for the auditor to verify the reconciliation been provided to the Auditor General?

Last week, in a sudden move, Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher was arrested in connection with ongoing investigations into the illegal procurement of firearms that may constitute misbehaviour in public office.When a leader is unexpectedly placed in a compromising situation, especially during a State of Emergency, it creates significant challenges for the morale, organizational discipline, and direction of the TTPS.The CoP's contract ends in a few months, and her arrest, release, and the ongoing investigations make her reappointment unlikely, if not impossible.Will the ensuing competition for the position further destabilise morale and cooperation at the leadership level?

DCP Suzette Martin, who heads the department charged with the investigation of Commissioner Harewood-Christopher, has faced her own issues publicly.She has been charged with dangerous driving following an investigation by the Police Complaints Authority. The DCP pleaded not guilty, and the DPP filed a notice of discontinuance on December 16.DCP Martin was one of three officers involved in the arrest of Brent Thomas in Barbados. Justice Devindra Rampersad was very critical of DCP Martin and the other officers in his judgment delivered in late April 2023.
These are early days, and in the run-up to the general election, the atmosphere will be more charged. To paraphrase Hamlet, all is not well in the state of Denmark.
Narper 2/2/25, 8:10:45 PM
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debut: 1/4/03
261,845 runs

In reply to sgtdjones

Gary G quiet maan...like he scared or wat?

And Growley seh he ent interfering in Police matters

Kamla still doin her research

In de late 70s there was a calypso....I believe by Chalkie ....'If yuh can 't run de kuntry call in Kirpalani'

Who dem go call in now.....Garrrry Sobers?
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sgtdjones 2/3/25, 12:28:20 AM
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debut: 2/16/17
38,541 runs

In reply to Narper

Gary Sobers jr is now Lal Beharry Young from Penal.

His mom is Indian from Penal
His father is Chinese....former CEO of Scotia Bank T&T.
Narper 2/3/25, 8:12:14 AM
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debut: 1/4/03
261,845 runs

In reply to sgtdjones

Griffith: Buying sniper rifles for SSA is no crime

FORMER commissioner of police (CoP) Gary Griffith says the purchase of sniper rifles for the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) is not a criminal offence and cannot be used to justify the arrest and questioning of incumbent CoP Erla Harewood-Christopher.

He claimed there were some people within the ranks of the police who were constantly trying to displace others to get their jobs.

Griffith called for the immediate removal of the police's Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) and a return to the use of internationally accredited institutions to select CoPs and deputy police commissioners (DCPs) instead of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

link
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Halliwell 2/3/25, 10:21:50 AM
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debut: 5/14/05
24,157 runs

In reply to Narper

Narps, accountability or lack thereof!

Is arrite and we move on

Who can she, in good conscience, now hold accountable within her team when a situation arises?

Untenable
Narper 2/4/25, 7:04:44 PM
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debut: 1/4/03
261,845 runs

In reply to Halliwell

COMMISSIONER of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher has been suspended from office pending the outcome of a criminal probe into the acquisition of two sniper rifles for the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).

Harewood-Christopher was not fired, contrary to other media reports.

Harewood-Christopher was served with a notice of her suspension by the Police Service Commission (PSC) on January 31, while in custody.

Newsday has seen the letter PSC chairman Dr Wendell Wallace sent to Harewood-Christopher on January 31.


Wallace said the commission received communication, dated January 30, from DCP intelligence and investigation, “indicating you were cautioned, informed you are a suspect in an ongoing investigation into misbehaviour in public office and were then informed you were under arrest.”

The PSC’s letter said Harewood-Christopher had been directed to “cease to report for duty and cease to discharge the duties of the office of CoP with effect from January 31, 2025, as a result of an ongoing investigation into misbehaviour in public office.

Parliament will meet on February 5 to debate the PSC's nomination of DCP Junior Benjamin to act as CoP.

Newsday
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Narper 2/4/25, 7:24:52 PM
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debut: 1/4/03
261,845 runs

Her tenure as head of the police service was extended by a year from May 15, 2023, after she turned 60. Cabinet gave Harewood-Christopher the one-year extension up to May 24, 2024, “in the national interest.”

A year later, on May 13, 2024, Harewood-Christopher’s service was extended for a further year to May 15, 2025.

she not coming back....looks like dem wanted her to go...she was not competent to handle today's organized crime ,....... so dem come up wid dis crap...dem coulda buy out her contract....and let de woman retire in peace
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Narper 2/5/25, 12:40:05 AM
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debut: 1/4/03
261,845 runs

CoP Erla fires back
... lawyer gives PolSC until 2 pm today to rescind her suspension

In a pre-action letter sent yesterday, Harewood-Christopher’s attorney, Pamela Elder SC, told PolSC chairman Dr Wendell Wallace, “Should you fail to do so by 2 pm on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, our client shall be advised to immediately initiate Judicial Review Proceedings, without further notice to you.”


Guardian
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