Performance record played a role in choosing Top Cop

The past achievements and performances of those who applied played a role in the selection of the new Commissioner of Police, according to President David Granger.

He was at the time responding to a question about why Assistant Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine, who was acting as Top Cop, was not considered for the position. Ramnarine had also applied for the post.

Leslie James was Thursday sworn in as Police Commissioner with immediate effect, shortly after the Head-of-State met with Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo for constitutionally required consultations on the appointment.

Other candidates were Maxine Graham, Paul Williams, Lyndon Alves and Nigel Hoppie. They were each appointed to the post of Deputy Commissioners.

President Granger explained that each of the candidates was suitably appointed based on recommendations made by the Police Service Commission (PSC) headed by Paul Slowe.

“I felt those recommendations were reasonable. I followed those recommendations. I am not going to disclose what those recommendations are,” the Head-of-State told a news conference.

Saying that his decisions were “largely based” on the recommendations from the PSC, the Head-of-State outlined that the Commission has access to the ‘history’ of police officers.

“[The Commission] conducted interviews, had access to files not only of current events in the police force but historic events so that when you find officers who have been serving for, for example 30 years, there has been a record of their performance,” the President stated.

The Opposition Leader had also sought an explanation from the Head-of-State about why Ramnarine was not considered for the post, because there was an “expectation” that he would have been.

But Jagdeo said the President only revealed that he had “specific reasons” and did not say what those reasons were.