People interested in applying for the vacant positions of commissioner of police or the three deputy commissioners of police must have a master's degree relevant to the job, or their applications will not be considered.
A release from the Police Service Commission on Thursday said the organisation has developed a "relevancy policy" to assist in shortlisting applicants who do not have master's degrees in law, criminal justice, criminology or police service management.
The decision by the commission, which was appointed on November 16, comes ahead of any notice of vacancy for the top posts.
Former Appeal Court judge Judith Jones, along with Maxine Attong, Maxine King, Ian Ramdhanie and Rajiv Persad, were appointed after the former commission, chaired by Bliss Seepersad, collapsed over its mismanagement in reappointing Gary Griffith to act as CoP in August 2021.
According to legal notice No 339 of 2019, applicants must have a master's degree under the four specialities or any other relevant degree from a university recognised by the Ministry of Education.
In an attempt to clear up any confusion over what constitutes a relevant degree, the commission has published its policy, which identified five specific areas which must make up no less than 80 per cent of the programme's course content.
The commission said in considering a relevant degree, "it is crucial that the content of that training is relevant to the office, and potential candidates have the full range of strategic, managerial and technical capacity to perform all of the functions of that office."
The degree's course content must include the core functions of police service in these areas:
– preserving the peace, detecting crime and other infractions of the law
– apprehending alleged offenders and bringing them before a court of competent jurisdiction
– serving and executing all processes directed by competent authorities
– maintaining order in the courts of competent jurisdiction during the sittings of all such courts
– repressing internal disturbances
– performing all other duties appertaining to the office from time to time
The applicant must also complete courses in policing, criminology, criminal justice or police management as well as strategic planning, leadership, management and executive management.
The commission said the objective of the new policy "is to ensure that a fair, efficient, standardised and transparent procedure is adopted" in assessing whether officers selected to act and applicants shortlisted for the position of CoP or deputy CoP meet the educational qualifications under the category of "any relevant degree."
The commission said the policy can be revised if the duties of the office-holders change, or the core functions of the organisation change.
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