Plea for supplemental police

THE EDITOR: Please allow me space in your newspaper to make the powers that be aware of the existence and capabilities of the supplemental police attached to the various government ministries. This is an open letter to the Honourable Minister of National Security and the Commissioner of Police.

Sir, I and I’m sure other citizens would like to know why the supplemental police attached to the various Government ministries are being passed over for acceptance into the regular police service. I am sure if you check the records at the police barracks or whereever they are stored you will see where in the past years many officers from this organisation have been recruited and trained at the St James Police Barracks and they are in possession of certificates of training to prove same. They have been trained in many aspects of policing for a number of weeks and have done very well.

Following are some of the aspects of policing they have been trained in: Court procedures, judges rule, laws of evidence, summary of evidence, Water and Sewage act, Litter act, Motor Vehicle Ordinance, weaponry. Some of these officers are also holders of academic certificates. They also have skills in many fields that can be utilised in the police service, such as computers, mechanics, counselling and many more. I am asking if security is the number one priority in the country as the Prime Minister recently said, and you are calling on citizens to join the forces of this venture, why not give these officers the opportunity to become members of your Police Service. Remember many of them have been trained.

J ALEXANDER
Arima