THE EDITOR: Something is definitely wrong with the police service if it sees nothing wrong with sending seasoned officers on as many as 700 plus days leave when crime is so out of control that criminals are falling through the roof.

It has to be a case of gross mismanagement that a senior officer like Roger Alexander can accumulate as many as 275 plus days of compensatory leave and then another 500 plus days vacation, and when he does return he will get another 98 days.

When he returns he will have forgotten everything he knew. He will be so far removed he may have to undergo recruit training.

He is not alone. Another ace crime-figther, Senior Superintendent Richard Smith, the lion who dealt with the La Romain Pennywise Plaza robbery in a way that was just and with reasonable force (dealing with men who would shoot like hell), is also going on a long, long, long vacation. I'm sure criminals couldn't be happier.

Another senior officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Oswain Subero, responsible I believe for major gun seizures, is heading on a hiatus.

It's not that I don't acknowledge that succession planning might have catered for such departures, but when officers, who the criminal element dares not take chances with, are sent out to pasture, it's like a signal to "start the mas."

By the way, can the commissioner of police say how much leave she has accumulated and is not going on it, because that will make no difference.

LINDA CAPILDEO

St James

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