Commissioner of Police calls for Superintendents to step down

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

CNC3 - Commissioner calls on heads of Eastern, Northern Divisions to step down over poor crime-fighting performances

Police Commissioner Stephen Williams has called on the Head of the Eastern Division, acting Senior Superintendent John Trim and Head of the Northern Division Simbonath Rajkumar to step down, citing dismal performances in crime fighting last year.

Letters written to the senior officers, dated Monday, January 9th, point to increases in crimes, in some cases as high as 250 percent.

The letters are headed "Retirement at the instance of the Commissioner of Police".





The letter to Rajkumar states:

"In accordance with section 74 (2) (b) of the Police Service Act No. 7 of 2006, I am at present considering that you should retire from the Trinidad and Tobago police service at the instance of the Commissioner of Police.

I have carefully observed that you have not made any significant contributions towards the Police Service improving its performance in 2016. You led the Eastern Division throughout 2016 with the following adverse results as compared to the year 2015.

114% increase in Murders
81% increase in Wounding and Shootings
250% increase in kidnappings
61% increase in Burglaries and Breakings
41% increase in Robberies
3% increase in General Larceny
36% increase in Larceny Dwelling House
32% overall increase in Serious Crimes
You are invited to submit to me in writing within seven (7) days of receipt of this letter, any representation that you may wish to make as to why you should not retire from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service at the instance of the Commissioner of Police.

Kindly note that a person who retires at the instance of the Commissioner of Police shall be entitled to all his retirement benefits including gratuity and pension.

Yours faithfully,

Commissioner of Police"

The letter to Trim is the same but cites different figures:

28% increase in Murders
32% increase in Wounding and Shootings
80% increase in Burglaries and Breakings
69% increase in Robberies
41% increase in General Larceny
55% increase in Larceny Dwelling House
30% overall increase in Serious Crimes


Section 74 (2) of the Police Service Act states:

"A police officer in the First Division shall retire from the Police Service on his attaining the age of sixty years, but may—

(a) at his option; or
(b) at the instance of the Commissioner, retire from the Police Service at any time after he has attained the age of fifty-five years.

Neither officer has reached the retirement age.

Trim told us that the letter is in the hands of his lawyer but that he believes the request was unfair to him.

"It can only be fair if the officer is found to have contributed to the situation," he said.

He says divisional leaders can only rely on data to be able to allow them to allocated resources for patrols.

In 2016, he says, the majority of the crimes occurred outside of the areas identified by the data as hotspots.

Trim said that while the statistics for 2016 showed 37 murders in the division, not one of them occurred in a hotspot although the data had predicted that those were the areas where crime would have been highest, the same areas he focussed his resources.

He also pointed to the vast coastline in the division, from Matelot to Guayaguaryare, all of which, he says, has to be manned by his men without any external help.

He says there are numerous marijuana fields in the forest areas but that he is handicapped because legally they cannot enter without the assistance of the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau (OCNFB) and air support.

He said the since Constable Persad was shot and killed while entering a marijuana field in Rio Claro in 2012, officers must get proper support before they proceed on marijuana eradication exercises.

That support, he says, was not given to him.

"There are eight divisions in Trinidad and one in Tobago, and the Eastern Division was the only division with no outside support. There are many factors that spin off of marijuana fields but we are handicapped. OCNFB must be a part. If they are not going into it the division cannot go," he said.

He said while other divisions had help from the Inter-Agency Task Force and other units, his division was forced to do everything using its own officers.

He pointed as well to several squatting communities and new settlements, some of which he says resulted in migration of criminals into the Division.

Despite these challenges, he says his division had the highest detection rate of all divisions, 45%, well above the target of 30% set by the Police Executive.

He said his division also had the highest number of serious narcotics seizures amounting to 102 and the highest detection rate for robberies.

"We have not excelled in some areas but we have not fallen flat in some areas," he said.

Trim says his lawyers will reply to the commissioner within the stipulated time-frame.

Attempts to reach Rajkumar and the acting commissioner proved futile.

[PariaMan]

Hurrah

[Morpheus]

That's a start. Whether fair or not, I'm not sure.

[meccalli]

Might as well fire the Commissioner, How are they responsible for improving those figures?

[rollingstock]

Total bs.

Btw who worded that law?
Instance? Seriously instance?

Is insistence a word?

[2WNBoost]

Shouldn't the acting CoP fall under the same scrutiny?

[PariaMan]

instance Idioms

at the instance of

at the suggestion or instigation of


Read more at http://www.yourdictionary.com/instance# ... KyEqtjz.99

[PariaMan]

Perfectly legitimate . Meaning at the suggestion or instigation of the commissioner

[K74T]

Steups, Williams needs to step down.

[bluesclues]

Excursions to the bush might be your favourite part of the job. But you have more important things to tend to in the concrete jungle regions.

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

Might as well fire the Commissioner, How are they responsible for improving those figures?

He hit those superintendents a low blow to stick others for this mess and make it look like he is now doing something.

Last year Rowley tried to make him accountable, his response was Rowley can't touch him. Now things getting seriously out of hand so he has to do something to make it look like he is doing something.

How is this man still the Acting Commissioner?

[rollingstock]

Political pressure is a b!tch.

How the COP going to explain that the ACP under his supervision have been giving these same officers excellent grades in their performance appraisals? But now want them to retire due to sub standard performance?

[dude2014]

All this killing and we still have the same Commissioner of Police and FFFFFFive National Security Ministers?

We like it so .........

I posted it under Birthday Party Massacre 5/1/2017. I am still convinced that the CoP must go. The last time I checked (well I dont have to) the CoP has a lot to do before he issues such letters. He has to show the evidence where he had written the officers about their shortcomings, areas for improvements, etc and warn them of the consequences of failing to so do. Not because there is a provision, you can play mad and 'TRY' to implement it.

This will play out in the court where the CoP will get taken to task and the officers being awarded in the millions

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

All this killing and we still have the same Commissioner of Police and FFFFFFive National Security Ministers?

We like it so .........

I posted it under Birthday Party Massacre 5/1/2017. I am still convinced that the CoP must go. The last time I checked (well I dont have to) the CoP has a lot to do before he issues such letters. He has to show the evidence where he had written the officers about their shortcomings, areas for improvements, etc and warn them of the consequences of failing to so do. Not because there is a provision, you can play mad and 'TRY' to implement it.

This will play out in the court where the CoP will get taken to task and the officers being awarded in the millions

So basically Williams is higher than the Prime Minister? he already said Rowley cannot touch him.

In almost anyother country given what we have here the CoP would be forced to step down but in Trinidad he forcing everybody else to step down? WTF!!

[vaiostation]

The commissioner is just trying to transfer blame from himself to someone else in order to hide his own incompetence...

[pugboy]

He should start with the firearm license dept which is easily the most corrupt

[Morpheus]

Totally agree that Williams should be leading them out. Because he is the head.

Willams last REAL long. Can't even give a convincing interview. I does feel to pelt my TV.

Gibbs woulda clean up but as you say just now........we like it so...

[PariaMan]

The question is how autonomous are the divisional commander's. If they are and are not performing send them home the nation will be better off. Also hopefully this will cause more accountability within the police force. Everyone has heard more than one story of non action by police.


1. A local nation boxer ran into me and did not report the accident . I got all his details even where he lives . I got trouble even getting a report from the police farless getting them to go to the guys house to get his version

2. Some guys broke the windscreen of a guy I know car police simply said they had no vehicle. The guy offered to drive the police to the place where it happened and they simply said no.

[meccalli]

How about they throw those stats back at our comissioner gordon there and ask him to write a letter to the country why he should keep his job..

[pugboy]

It is somewhat in the interest of any govt to have a cop who is not permanent and dancing to their tunes

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

The question is how autonomous are the divisional commander's. If they are and are not performing send them home the nation will be better off. Also hopefully this will cause more accountability within the police force. Everyone has heard more than one story of non action by police.


1. A local nation boxer ran into me and did not report the accident . I got all his details even where he lives . I got trouble even getting a report from the police farless getting them to go to the guys house to get his version

2. Some guys broke the windscreen of a guy I know car police simply said they had no vehicle. The offered to drive the police to the place where it happened and they simply said no.

The problem is we know Williams doesn't give a sh!t and he is only now pretending to do something because of political pressure. Citizens are taking notice of what is happening, Rowley is putting more pressure on him but ultimately as William said Rowley cannot touch him.

This is why he needs to go, if he was a competent CoP he would have done this way sooner, he would have shown interest in police who do not do their job and all these things, but he did absolutely nothing so he is the problem yes all of them is the problem but it starts with him because he is responsible for all others below him.

What about police officers who are "disciplined" for doing their jobs? because the business man has connections? the other officers who deserve to be in the higher position to do the correct thing but they are prevented from doing so because the system is not fair?

We need to change the constitution.

[PariaMan]

In the mean time if Williams, who I agree is part of the problem, can get rid of some of the other problems then lets ride that boat . If a man not performing replace him. Keep replacing until we get one who works

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

In the mean time if Williams, who I agree is part of the problem, can get rid of some of the other problems then lets ride that boat . If a man not performing replace him. Keep replacing until we get one who works

I agree at this point we have to take what we get atleast its better than nothing

Something has to be done about this ultimately, our police service is in bad shape it is like any other Banana Republic, this cannot continue.

I still don't know why we do not have DNA testing in this country, I mean its 2017 and all.

[clone101]

this should have been done years ago in every division ,it looks like some one over hear me saying buss the throat if their division crime rate high and promote and fire who can't bring down the crime rate per division P.S S Williams should go as well.

[DVSTT]

Is Williams entitled to the full CoP retirement benefits if he's been acting for X amount of years?

[GixxerMan]

The commissioner is just trying to transfer blame from himself to someone else in order to hide his own incompetence...

Rowley does the same thing

[shake d livin wake d dead]

Men get them letters and all of ah sudden is level roadblock all over

[SR]

Police form of protest.......

[thelem-again]

Men get them letters and all of ah sudden is level roadblock all over

lol lol lol Its so true.

[Slartibartfast]

Political pressure is a b!tch.

How the COP going to explain that the ACP under his supervision have been giving these same officers excellent grades in their performance appraisals? But now want them to retire due to sub standard performance?

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... interesting. I would love to see the explanation if that is true.