Why so long to transfer policemen?

THE EDITOR: Please publish this letter to the Commissioner of Police (Acting) Mr Everald Snaggs.

I address this letter to the highest ranking person in the Police Service because I find this matter ridiculous and overbearing. How long does it take for a police officer to be transferred from one police station to another in Trinidad? Doesn’t take very long now does it, so why is it taking one year and almost four months, for Trinidadian police officers who were stationed in Tobago immediately after they passed out of training college, to be transferred back home? Firstly we all have to remember that these officers have families at home that need them. Yes, I know that Trinidad and Tobago is one country but they are two different islands and coming to Trinidad every week while trying to manage their working hours in Tobago is hard for some of these officers.

Secondly, some of these officers have no immediate family living in Tobago so they cannot be accommodated. They then have a choice of either living in the police station or paying rent for an apartment in Tobago. Some of us are busy working parents and making the occasioned trip to Tobago for our children to see their fathers is just not enough. We need them home! Lastly, aren’t there any Tobagonians trained to be police officers? Why not send them home to work, that way everyone would be happy. I do hope that someone sheds some light on this matter so these transfers could be speeded up.

L ALI
Tunapuna