COMMISSIONER of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher was given a one-year extension of her position, said a statement in the evening on May 13 from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
It said Cabinet earlier on May 13 advised President Christine Kangaloo under the Police Service Act (section 75(a)) to extend Harewood-Christopher's service for a year starting May 15.
Newsday was unable to contact Harewood-Christopher for a comment on what she hopes for in her second year compared to her first.
When Harewood-Christopher reached the retirement age of 60 on May 15, 2023, Cabinet gave her a one-year extension up to May 24, 2024.
At that time, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds said the Police Service Act (section 75) let the President grant a post-retirement-age extension if it was in the national interest.
On May 13, he explained the decision, speaking to Newsday after the House of Representatives had adjourned.
However, Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein, also leaving the Red House, strongly queried the CoP's reappointment.
Hinds made the point that the extension had been done after consultations with the Police Service Commission (PSC) on Harewood-Christopher's performance. More so, he said the PSC was continuing its ongoing exercise to recruit a CoP but in the meantime, someone had to fill the post, thus Harewood-Christopher's extension. He also said crime was a multi-faceted issue.
He said the Trinidad and Tobago Constitution and Police Service Act were the guides in this matter, along with some interpretation of these by the courts.
Hinds said a past court ruling said it was the PSC that appointed a CoP, while that day Cabinet had advised the President to give her a further extension.
"So it really was about following the law, and it would have taken into account a number of other things. So altogether, it is the operation of law."
He recalled the PSC's advertising the CoP position, with applicants then submitting themselves.
"The application process would have closed recently, and those matters are being contemplated, evaluated, processed by the PSC.
"In the meantime, the public interest demands that there be a CoP.
"So all things considered, in the best judgement of the Cabinet and the advice that was given to Her Excellency, the service of Mrs Harewood-Christopher would have been extended while the PSC conducts the process, and we will take it from there."
He said meanwhile, he would continue to provide all resources required by the police service that TT could comfortably afford, and encourage police officers under the CoP's leadership to exert their best efforts to go full throttle to give a "blanket of security and protection that TT cries out for in the burgeoning crime experience we are now having...
"The situation is multi-faceted, as everyone knows, bar the foolish talk and pretence.
"The Government is directing all resources available to it to dealing with the multi-faceted approaches to dealing with crime, not the least creating stronger and better oppo
