Other criteria for SRP selection

THE EDITOR: You may publish this letter written to Acting Commissioner of Police Everald Snaggs

Dear Sir, I refer to an article by Wendy Campbell on page six of the Newsday on August 28, 2003 “SRP results a sad state of affairs.” Pain and horror reflected on the faces of those who did not pass the entrance examination to be selected and it reflected the poor education system this country has to work with. Out of the 13,000 applicants who wrote the examination “SRP dictation,” some did not finish, some wrote nothing at all, while one individual got only one word “robbery” correct. Applicants had to spell 138 words in a passage chosen by the Acting Commissioner of Police Mr Everald Snaggs. The question that should now be asked is, is this the correct approach for us to chose young men and women to be enrolled in the Police Service?

It is now clear in our minds that the level of reading and spelling is poor, the method used was a bit difficult to get good police officers or applicants who would stay on the job and become good police officers. On the other hand, those selected are the ones who would use this as an opportunity to pay their way to branch off into their chosen field. I personally have known several individuals who were not chosen because they did not make the highest marks. One of these gentlemen has been working with my organisation over ten years. He began as a teenager as a security guard. All he knows is security and presently he works with one of the leading security firms in this country. This gentleman is married with a family and settled in life. He has been trained in all areas of security including the use of firearms. He has been selected by his company to be a bodyguard for a lot of wealthy families in the country.

Also, he was chosen by his company to be one of the private bodyguards for a prime minister who visited Trinidad recently. I personally believe that if this gentleman is chosen to serve in the Police Service, he would bring honour and would be devoted to his duties. In light of the present shortage in the police Service, I strongly recommend that the selectors re-visit all applications with three years experience, working with a security firm and precepted and trained to use a firearm. They should be interviewed and if their grades or pass mark are within close proximity for qualification, the applicant should be given a chance. I also suggest to the Minister and the Prime Minister that as soon as the first 1,000 are selected and trained, another 1,000 should be selected and trained. When the second thousand are trained, consideration should be given to some of the best in the first thousand to be selected and trained to become full time police officers. I must remind the selectors that the very bright ones may not stay in the job and may move on with their lives to continue their studies to get better jobs. On the other hand those that are not so bright would stay on and make a career in the Police Service. Let us make the correct choice for the job by not using marks as the criteria but by choosing the correct persons for the job.

BALLIRAM MAHARAJ
CEO-ADM