By Leroy Smith
Although he was forced to return to uniform last year, former Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum is finding it hard to proudly wear the force’s uniform.
After a Commission of Inquiry found that he lacks command experience, it was recommended that he be removed from the Criminal Investigations Department and be allowed to gain that command experience. Blanhum has since been transferred to the police ‘A’ Division where he is the Deputy Commander.
That move required the Senior Superintendent to cease wearing civilian clothing in keeping with his previous responsibilities of Crime Chief and instead, attire himself in the uniform of an officer of the Guyana Police Force. He has not been doing so.
Police Commissioner (ag), David Ramnarine was questioned about the issue at his press conference last week where he noted, “The Deputy Commander or what we would term in recent times the operational officer of a police division…is a uniform post.”
While not naming the officer, the Top Cop stated that he was advised that a certain officer might have been having some difficulty with his tailor.
“Someone who has not worn uniform for decades or a decade and half or more, would have needed to go to the tailor to get measurements taken and that takes some time,” the Top Cop told reporters.
Sources within the Police ‘A’ Division have confirmed that since taking over the post as Deputy Commander, Blanhum has not been wearing his uniform as he is supposed to.
However, there was one photo where the former Crime Chief was seen taking a “selfie” in a uniform and appear to be sitting at a desk.
Ramnarine, in what can be considered a shady response to the questions from members of the press, acknowledged that during the Christmas season, Blanhum might have been busy as police ranks were inline as part of the Police Force Christmas Security posture.
“And you and I would know as I said earlier while many people were having fun and frolic the police were the ones who were up 24/7…read between the lines, so it would have taken some more time at Christmas time for the civilian tailor to get the uniform up in a shorter period of time.”
Blanhum served as a detective for years and worked at the Alberttown Police Station and in ‘C’ Division where after sometime, he functioned as the Divisional Detective Officer for that division before being moved to the CID Headquarters where he functioned as the Crime Chief until his removal late last year.
