Audit into $700,000 extra duties fund

The money is in a safe at the St James Police Station and being overseen by an extra duty clerk.

The money has accumulated over a five-year period although instructions were given by none other than head of the Police Service, Ag Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams, for over 1,000 people to be reimbursed.

Hundreds have complained that over the past five years, money was paid to Western Division for police officers to conduct extra duty at privately organised public events including fetes, parties, graduations and sports meet with police officers either not showing up or the number of officers paid for, being less.

In June 2015, Senior Superintendent Totaram Dookhie, Head of the Fraud Squad raided the St James police station and seized a number of documents and computers after allegations of impropriety linked to the payment of overtime and extra duty allowances. The documents were forwarded to the Police Finance Branch and instructions given for extra duty allowances owed people be reimbursed.

Yesterday, ACP Hackshaw told Newsday the audit is ongoing and once completed, moves will be made to give back the $700,000 to members of the public who paid for a service that they either did not get or got in a reduced number.

He said the audit may be lengthy since those conducting the exercise are dealing with five years’ worth of payments and claims and they would have to see who paid for what and if proof that officers failed to uphold their end of the agreement, can be made.

Sources in Western Division said there is a difficulty in reaching most of the 1,000 people making claims for reimbursement since many would have changed their cellphone numbers, email addresses, business contact info etc. If the 700,000 cannot be reimbursed, a decision will have to be made on what to do with the money since it cannot go into the Consolidated Fund since it does not belong to the State.