CRIMINOLOGIST Prof Ramesh Deosaran has said the arrest and detainment of Commissioner of Police (CoP) Erla Harewood-Christopher reflects the need to urgently review the administrative and legislative structure of the Police Service Commission (PolSC).
Harewood-Christopher, who was appointed TT’s first female police commissioner in February 2023, was arrested on January 30 at her office, Police Administration Building, Sackville Street, Port of Spain.
The matter surrounds a criminal investigation into her alleged involvement in the importation of two military-grade sniper weapons for the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).
Former SSA head Roger Best also was arrested at his Arima on January 29 in connection with the importation of the high-powered weapons.
Best and Harewood-Christopher were released pending further enquiries on February 1.
Deosaran, who served as PolSC chairman from 2011-2014, described Harewood-Christopher’s detainment as a “firecracker event with a lot of downstream consequences.”
He told Newsday, “It has cast a dark shadow over public confidence in the Police Service because this is a special time where people’s constitutional rights and freedoms are in suspension through the state of emergency (SoE), with specialised emergency powers given to the CoP. So arresting such an officer really shakes up the entire country.”
But the former independent senator said there is a broader issue that must be considered.
“It is one which I have always pointed out. There is need to remedy, repair and review the administrative and legislative structure of the PolSC, not only for this particular matter, of course, but there have been repeated issues, challenges, delays and very convoluted circumstances because of the very manner in which the PolSC is framed.”
Deosaran said although the PolSC has constitutional powers, “at the same time, it is the Prime Minister’s majority in the Parliament who makes the final decision in appointing a commissioner.
“And then you have a lingering clause in the Police Service Act, which allows the Cabinet to extend the tenure of a CoP.”
He believes that in a democracy, the public’s interest must be served through proper information from the authorities.
“So you cannot have such duplication of authority with the Parliament majority having a say in extending the tenure of the commissioner and at the same time, telling the PolSC in the Constitution, it has powers to appoint.
“We need all these things to be remedied. Some at the ground level, some are higher up. But we need a studied analysis from the government, Opposition and Parliament to bring remedy to what I think is a situation with many gaps and loopholes so far.”
On the investigation, Deosaran advised all of the relevant agencies – the Police Service, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, PolSC – to respond with the required urgency.
“The roles may be different but they should be sequenced in a proper, lawful way.”
The commission, he said, must be especially meticulous “in moving into this
