OPPOSITION Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial says there is an urgent need for a policy shift in the recruitment practices for the police service, moving away from brawn to the brain.

She commented on Thursday’s ruling by the High Court that the police service regulation, which set a height requirement for recruits, was discriminatory.

In his ruling on January 8, Justice Robin Mohammed declared regulation 3(1)(f) unconstitutional and incompatible with the Constitution and ordered that the height requirement be excluded as a pre-condition to recruitment in the police service.

In his ruling, Mohammed said the historical origins of the minimum height requirement of 167 centimetres were rooted in colonial history under the British monarchy to symbolise strength and authority.

“It must be appreciated that we are a far cry from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the norms, perceptions, habits, duties and realities of policing have changed and developed tremendously today.

“Certainly, the functional duties and responsibilities of a police officer have evolved. The types of crimes they are engaged in addressing are now expansive and diverse, so policing now requires far more than foot patrols and chasing suspects but includes the engagement of technical expertise and technology for surveillance, crime detection and solving,” he said.

He also said a blanket restriction on recruitment would only serve to exclude a segment of TT’s population if the regulation remains in effect.

“It ignores any purported expertise, potential abilities and training of these potential candidates to assist in the crime-fighting strategy of our nation plagued by surging criminality.

“This restriction, therefore, cannot be seen to be compatible with values and beliefs of our democratic way of life.”

Lutchmedial agreed.

She said the minimum height requirement had no relevance to a person’s ability to do the job of a police officer.

“Such anachronistic policies illustrate why new and innovative leadership is badly needed to transform the police service into a modern, technology-based, effective crime fighting organisation.”

Lutchmedial said the court’s decision highlighted the need to transform the police service using the “best available minds and sophisticated technology.”

The challenge to the minimum height requirement for recruits was brought by a Williamsville man who was told he was not tall enough to apply to become a police officer.

Renaldo Marajh will receive compensation as the judge said when he filed his claim he was 31 years old but was now months shy of potentially being disqualified because of his age. Recruits are required to be between 18 and 35 years old.

Marajh was also awarded vindicatory damages because of the discriminatory effect the regulation had on a significant segment of the population because of height and sex, the judge said.

“This breach cannot be ignored nor can it be sustained.”

Marajh will receive a total of $400,000 in compensation.

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