The Police Service Commission (PSC) has directed Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher to stop performing the duties of her office as police investigate how Trinidad and Tobago’s elite spy agency – the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) – was able to buy two sniper rifles, despite the law's allowing only the police, the defence force and the director of the Forensic Science Centre to possess such weapons.
In her absence, the PSC has nominated DCP Junior Benjamin to act as commissioner of police and ACP Curt Simon to act as deputy commissioner as Benjamin fills in as top cop. The PSC’s recommendations will be debated in the House of Representatives on February 5.
There has been no official indication whether Harewood-Christopher intends to voluntarily step down as the investigation continues.
A letter dated January 31 from the PSC to President Christine Kangaloo said Harewood-Christopher “has been directed by the commission to cease to report for duty and cease to discharge the duties of the office of the CoP,” with effect from that date.
The letter said her removal was “as a result of an ongoing investigation into misbehaviour in public office.”
It added that Benjamin and Simon held the top positions in the respective order of merit lists maintained by the commission for the two posts pursuant to clauses 4(2) and 5(2) of Legal Notice No 277 of 2021 as amended by Legal Notice No 278 of 2021.
Harewood-Christopher was arrested on January 30, questioned and freed on February 1 as police investigated.
During an impromptu media conference outside the St Clair Police Station after her release, Harewood-Christopher stood stoically silent next to her attorney Pamela Elder, SC, who said she had advised her not to speak.
Asked if Harewood-Christopher would return to work, Elder said they had to consider and discuss their next steps, adding, “I want to assure the nation that they should maintain faith in their CoP. She is a strong woman.”
After facing the media, Harewood-Christopher got into in her official SUV with her security detail and left.
Contacted for comment before news broke of the PSC’s instructions, former commissioner of police Gary Griffith said Harewood-Christopher had a responsibility to show up for work, and should only do otherwise if the PSC said so.
[caption id="attachment_1136691" align="alignnone" width="1009"] Gary Griffith -[/caption]
“This is not about the court of public opinion…Unless she’s on sick leave or requested leave, she is still the CoP, unless or until the PSC says otherwise.
“So it is expected she will report for duty, unless the PSC sends a notice to her to tell her that she has been suspended, she’s on administrative leave or something along that line. But that is for the PSC to decide.”
Former PSC member Martin George, also responding before learning the CoP was told not to report for duty, said he thought her presence would be good for public relations.
“I would think that certainly from a PR perspective, it would be very good for her to show up f
