Cops get leave to sue police chief

A HIGH Court judge yesterday opined that the April 22 transfer of several Anti-Drug Task Force policemen from Western Division did not appear to have been a routine transfer. As a result, Justice David Myers, presiding in the San Fernando Civil High Court, blocked the transfer of five of eight of the transferred detectives, who were ordered to assume new duties at police stations in other police divisions. The detectives last Friday sought judicial review of their transfer which was done via the telephone. They contend the transfer was made days after allegations surfaced that they were allegedly protecting certain drug lords in the country.

The detectives also stated that wild and unfounded allegations were made against them concerning the distribution of seized marijuana and that they allegedly hampered the efforts of the Organised Crime and Narcotics Unit (OCNU). The application for judicial review and the injunction blocking the transfer was made against the Commissioner of Police, Police Services Commission (PSC) and a Superintendent in Western Division Police Station.

The officers: Cpl William Constantine; PC Adolphus O’Neil; PC Randolph St Bernard; PC Marc Husbands and PC Sylvan Stewart, were present in the southern court yesterday. Attorney Anand Ramlogan, in highlighting the officers’ case to Justice Myers, said the policemen were informed via telephone of their transfers, merely on a unsubstantiated and wild allegation. “This case goes deep into the functioning of the Public Service,” Ramlogan submitted. Hearing  was set for May 28.