By GARY GRIFFITH
Former Commissioner of Police
Whenever Keith Rowley, his PNM cronies or anyone else attempts to resurrect allegations concerning the FUL ‘scandal’, the so-called well-oiled criminal organisation, outstanding TTPS bills or the cost of the field constructed at the Police Barracks, remember one important fact: I was the Commissioner of Police who confronted what I maintain was one of the biggest corruption rackets within the TTPS — the abuse of police overtime.
And I firmly believe that my decision to dismantle that racket is one of the principal reasons certain individuals have spent years attempting to discredit my tenure through misleading allegations and false narratives.
During my tenure, my administration reduced overtime expenditure by approximately TT$100 million annually, confronting practices that had allowed taxpayers’ money to be wasted through questionable overtime claims and approvals.
But here is what makes that achievement even more significant.
By reducing this expenditure, I was able to introduce hundreds of policies, programmes, specialised units, operational systems and technological improvements without asking the Government for a single additional cent.
We redirected resources towards fighting crime, modernising policing and rebuilding public confidence. The results included reported public confidence in the TTPS reaching 59%, while my personal approval rating reached 79%.
And these achievements were not merely recognised by the public. They were acknowledged and endorsed by two consecutive Prime Ministers, representing both major political parties.
Former Prime Minister Keith Rowley went as far as featuring me prominently in the PNM’s 2020 General Election manifesto, effectively presenting my performance as Commissioner of Police as one of his administration’s major achievements in its bid for re-election.
And the present Prime Minister publicly declared that I was the best Commissioner of Police this country has ever had.
So, before the political attackers from either the PNM or UNC attempt to rewrite history, perhaps they should first reconcile their attacks with the public endorsements of their own political leaders.
Yet those who continue attacking my tenure conveniently ignore these achievements and, more importantly, the overtime racket that I confronted — which, I repeat, saved taxpayers over TT$100 million every year.
What makes this even more disturbing is that individuals who were aware of these concerns while serving within the Police Service have subsequently moved into senior positions at the TTPS and even in the Ministry, with some now advocating and cheering on increased overtime allocations.
Let me be clear. Police officers who legitimately work additional hours deserve proper compensation. What I oppose is overtime corruption, questionable claims and the abuse of taxpayers’ money.
Since my departure, I have repeatedly raised concerns that these practices have resurfaced, while the level of reform, innovation and institutional development introduced under my leadership has not been sustained.
And here is another fact that cannot be conveniently ignored. Under my leadership, while overtime expenditure was reduced by approximately TT$100 million annually, citizens witnessed, twice the level of visible police presence that we are seeing today.
Think about that. We were spending significantly less on overtime while delivering substantially greater police visibility across Trinidad and Tobago.
Today, I maintain that overtime expenditure has increased by over TT$200 million, yet the public is not witnessing a corresponding improvement in visible policing.
That raises serious questions about operational efficiency, financial management and the quality of leadership within the Police Service.
And on the question of leadership, I wish to make something absolutely clear about the present Commissioner of Police.
I support and endorse his position that he has, in effect, washed his hands of any personal involvement in overtime corruption or mismanagement, in the manner of Pontius Pilate. As Commissioner, he has no personal entitlement to benefit from police overtime expenditure, and I am not suggesting that he has personally benefited from any such abuse.
But while he cannot fairly be accused of personal involvement in overtime corruption without evidence, he can certainly be held accountable for poor leadership if he fails to confront it.
A Commissioner of Police cannot simply wash his hands of responsibility when questionable expenditure continues under his watch.
So, the next time Rowley, or anyone for that matter, attempts to revive their allegations, ask them one question:
Why are they so determined to attack the Commissioner who confronted the overtime racket, saved taxpayers TT$100 million annually and delivered greater police visibility, while turning a blind eye to whether that same racket has been allowed to return — at an even greater cost to taxpayers?
