Jada Loutoo
POLICE Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher says she can no longer “in trusty judgment of appropriate and mistaken” enable a police recruit to take her oath as an officer amid considerations about her fitness for responsibility.
Harewood-Christopher’s response came in opposition to a contempt-of-court application filed by Aviel Williams, who sought to philosophize her exclusion from the swearing-in process.
The CoP defined that the resolution adopted a advice from the factual officer of the police coaching academy in September to pause Williams’s progress till the conclusion of a background investigation.
“Till such time that I am assured that Ms Williams is a fit person to turn precise into a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Carrier, she isn’t any longer going to be sworn in,” Harewood-Christopher affirmed in her assertion.
She emphasised her factual responsibility under Portion 13 of the Police Carrier Act to guarantee that finest true candidates are admitted.
Williams’s factual application alleges that Harewood-Christopher’s actions constitute contempt of court, searching for penalties that can well encompass imprisonment or the confiscation of private belongings.
Nonetheless, Harewood-Christopher defended her actions as pleasurable a public responsibility. She argued that punitive measures against her in my thought would undermine her accountability to act in the national interest.
The case, presided over by Justice Joan Charles, has been adjourned to January 24, 2025.
Harewood-Christopher said finest after the investigation would possibly a resolution be made on Williams’s fitness to be sworn in.
“Per fragment 13 of the Police Carrier Act, I am required to guarantee that finest fit persons enter into the police provider.”
Harewood-Christopher additionally said she ought no longer to be held “in my thought chargeable for imprisonment or be liable to the confiscation of my private belongings” for exercising her statutory mandate.
“Given my legislative mandate, I should be allowed to produce my responsibilities for basically the most productive interest of voters of TT, the members of the TTPS and in the national interest.”
Williams’s application turn into filed on October 24. The docketed think, Justice Joan Charles, has adjourned the matter to January 24, 2025.
On October 18, Charles authorized Williams to pursue her philosophize for several declarations after she turn into no longer allowed to take her oath and turn into removed from coaching and not using a aim.
The think had additionally stayed the resolution to take away Williams from the checklist of recruits till her lawsuit turn into obvious, which would comprise allowed her to be sworn in as an officer and proceed her coaching from October 21.
Nonetheless, the court’s uncover turn into no longer complied with, prompting Williams’s attorneys to file a contempt application.
Williams’s application further seeks an uncover to assign in force the court’s directions relative to the preserve and allowing Williams to be sworn in. In the change, the court has been asked to preserve all coaching on the Police Academy, combating any individual from taking the oath.
The application said the court’s uncover turn into served on the police provider’s factual division on October 18, when the uncover turn into made. On October 21, Williams hand-delivered the uncover, which carries a penal clause, to the Police Academy. She said she returned to the academy day by day and waited all day for recordsdata or directions.
“No one has knowledgeable me of the date on which I will be sworn in, nor after I will be re-commencing with coaching.
“I comprise no longer yet been let into the coaching nor allowed to take the oath,” Williams said in crimson meat up of the appliance.
“The claimant is asking this court to preserve the CoP in contempt, for her wilful defiance of the uncover dated October 18, 2024.
“To this level, the claimant has no longer been sworn in as a police officer and has no longer been allowed to proceed with her coaching,” said submissions filed on November 24.
Attorneys Arden Williams and Mariah Ramrattan signify Williams. Laura Persad and Kelisha Bello signify the commissioner.
