Blanhum is back, now serves as Deputy Commander
By Leroy Smith
Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum is back on the job and in uniform but not as the country’s Crime Chief. The senior officer has been posted to the police ‘A’ Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara), where he will serve as the Deputy Commander under Assistant Commissioner of Police, Marlon Chapman.
On November 30, 2017, Blanhum completed a prolonged period of leave, shortly after testifying at the Commission of Inquiry which investigated a plot to assassinate President David Granger. The COI report cited Blanhum for having “poor leadership” and questioned his role in the success of the crimes which were solved by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) while he headed same.
The COI, which was headed by Paul Slowe, recommended that Blanhum be removed from the CID for his failure to properly supervise the investigations into the reported plot to assassinate the President. He was also accused of neglect of duty, insubordination and of lying to acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine.
The COI also found that Blanhum did not conduct due diligence on a report containing factual errors which was sent to the National Security Council, chaired by the Head of State.
The COI report had also noted that Blanhum never commanded a police division or subdivision and as such “lacks command experience.”
“The Commission is of the view that such experience is critical for someone functioning as the Crime Chief,” the report had noted.
Blanhum is among several officers who have returned from leave in accordance with the Police Force having all-hands-on-deck during the Christmas period. Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan did say at a press conference in September that he wants Blanhum back for Christmas.
Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus who headed ‘C’ Division before proceeding on leave is also back on the job and he is functioning as the Second in Command of Operations, under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken. Brutus is expected to return to his division at the end of the Christmas period.