(Trinidad Express) “Excellent” This was how Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher responded yesterday when asked to rate her performance in the first 100 days of her tenure.
Harewood-Christopher had just completed the inspection of 26 march past teams during the Police Service Sports Day at the Police Training Academy, St James.
The event was the 100th Anniversary Police Service Sports and the first such event since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Asked by reporters how she would rate her performance as the country’s top cop in her first 100 days in office she replied, “You have time to check 100 days while I have been busy working.”
How would you rate your performance, Harewood-Christopher was asked.
“Excellent,” she replied.
Her response came as the country recorded four more murders between Friday and yesterday. Prior to that, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds was asked the same question.
Hinds avoided a direct response and instead replied, “One hundred days or 100 years of serious policing?” He continued, “One hundred days or 100 years of serious policing and social and cultural and sporting activity…I heard a hundred and I am here very proudly as a former member of the Police Service to recognise that many years ago I participated in this as a police officer.
“And this (yesterday evening) there will be what we call a retreat where the police service will put on a quite professional and in an organised and disciplined way, a retreat. I think it starts at 5.30 and it is really going to be a fantastic display.” He described yesterday’s march past as inspiring and celebrated the men and women of the Service who maintained law and order. Asked about Harewood-Christopher’s extension of service past her 60th birthday he said: “The Commissioner of Police has been appointed by the Police Service Commission in her current capacity. “The law, the Police Service Act Chapter 15:01, defines what happens with a first division officer having attained the age of 60 years in respect to the possibilities in extension of service. The law is there and we complied with the law.”
Asked if a further extension could happen, Hinds said: “We complied with the law of the Police Service Act and the Commissioner continues in office past her 60th birthday on the basis of that.”
On Tuesday, the Ministry of National Security stated that Cabinet met last on May 4 and approved a one-year extension, in accordance with Section 75 of the Police Service Act, Chapter 15:01 for Harewood-Christopher.
The extension runs from May 15, 2023 to May 24, 2024.
It became necessary as Harewood-Christopher attains the compulsory retirement age of 60 on Monday, May 15.
