Former member on the Police Service Commission, Martin George says the Police Commissioner would do well by taking an example from incoming Minister in the National Security Ministry, Keith Scotland.
00:00One former member of the Police Service Commission, Martin George, is optimistic
00:05about Keith Scottland's recent appointment to the National Security
00:09Ministry. It's quite a heavy portfolio that is being put there for him and of
00:15course the expectations will be very high on him in terms of some sort of
00:21change or turnaround so because people have been clamouring and I mean I think
00:26the record is there, speaks for itself as to what has been happening with the
00:31Ministry of National Security and in terms of you know the current state of
00:36lawlessness in the country so with Mr. Scottland's appointment of course people are
00:41expecting that some change will come about. As a matter of fact he says the
00:47new minister has been proactive at least as it relates to Tobago. Mr. Scottland
00:52did actually reach out to me yesterday you know and we had quite a long
00:57discussion because he says he's particularly concerned about Tobago and
01:02the crime situation in Tobago and he said he intends to have a meeting with
01:07stakeholders in Tobago he wants to come across because he's trying to see how he
01:13can help to bring Tobago back to make it the safe serene sanctuary it once was.
01:22He believes the initiative demonstrated by Scottland's recent visit to sea lots
01:26will go a long way in restoring public trust and there is someone who can learn
01:32from his example. The Commissioner has to get on board with that type of initiative you know you can't keep
01:38sitting in your ivory tower and you know making edicts and pronouncements from
01:42on high you know you have to do things you know the Commissioner could have
01:47actually you know gained so many points by PR if she had intervened and said look
01:55that situation with that maxi driver where he was arrested that look having
02:00reviewed it they have decided they are not pursuing it because let me tell you
02:03the public is outraged because let me tell you you have murders you know home
02:08invasion, rapes, robberies occurring on a daily basis but yet still you have
02:13resources to send down police officers to go and look for this maxi driver
02:18arrest him because he failed to assist. After spending nine years on the Police
02:24Service Commission George believes the culture of the Police Service needs to
02:29be shaken up. Years ago we used to have undercover police officers who would go out
02:35you know go out in disguise they would go undercover they will dress as ordinary
02:39citizens they would gather information now everybody is sitting in a nice air
02:43conditioned station with cable TV and order and KFC and you know Pizza Hut you
02:49know and they just they just relax in if you understand me and then you know when
02:53you call in about a you know an issue they're telling you well look you can't come down to the station and make the report we can't come out to you.
03:01And another body needs to be a bit more active the attorney is advocating. Where
03:06is the Police Service Commission you know you hear nothing from them in all
03:12of this I mean it's like they remain numb and dumb in the circumstances right
03:18you have politicians pronouncing on the performance of the Commissioner of Police
03:23and saying well you know she has performed well and therefore that's why
03:27they have renewed her contract and you hear nothing from the Police Service
03:31Commission the body that is constitutionally charged with assessing
03:36the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioners of Police I mean it's it's
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