Snaggs bans police protest

Commissioner of Police, Everald Snaggs, has banned a proposed protest by police officers  due to be held on Monday outside Police Headquarters and the Ministry of National Security. At a news conference yesterday at headquarters, Snaggs announced the ban on a demonstration for better salary and terms of conditions. Saying he had taken into account all  the various factors, Snaggs declared: “I have prohibited such demonstration.” He then claimed that contrary to news reports, such proposed industrial action had the support of just a very small percentage of police officers. Asked what reaction he had received when he had given notice of the ban to Police Social and Welfare Association president, Christopher Holder, Snaggs claimed the exchange was very cordial.

So, did Snaggs expect officers to comply with the ban? He replied: “It is the law. I have applied the law. It is illegal not to comply with directives from the Commissioner of Police regarding demonstrations.” Pressed about how he would react if officers  ignored his ban on Monday, Snaggs said: “The law will be applied.” Christopher Holder told Newsday his association was not going to defy Snaggs’ ban. He said officers could not demonstrate without permission. But he added: “We will look at legitimate strategies to achieve our goals.” He declined to reveal such strategies.” So why were they not following the precedent of 1993, when officers had taken industrial action? Holder replied: “Because last time that was done spontaneously.” He agreed that the Commissioner had authority under the Summary Offences Act Section 107 to prohibit any public meeting.

Holder, however, rebutted Snaggs’ claim that few officers were in favour of protest action. “He has no machinery to determine that. That was an off-the-cuff statement. Generally when we are negotiating terms and conditions we get full support from our members.”  In the news conference, Snaggs said under the “SRP 1,000 Project,” Special Reserve Police officers were currently being paid on the old pay scale, but as soon as the Chief Personnel Officer had finished finalising their new terms and conditions, individual contracts will be issued to SRPs. He added that he had supplied to the Ministry of National Security a list of police stations where conditions were critical. “We’d like to see more vehicles for the police service,” he added but declined to elaborate any details.

In response, Holder said the Government must say how many stations it was going to build and how many it would refurbish, and say by when. “They must give some kind of commitment, and not have us in suspense. It is very frustrating for us.” Snaggs had also assured reporters that a new supply of bullet-proof vests was being tested by all required processes to attest to its good quality. But Holder wanted assurances that the vests could withstand the impact from not just a revolver or 9mm handgun, but also a 5.76mm bullet fired from an AK47. “Now the lawless have high-powered firearms and you need to protect officers.” Holder said that much discontent had been generated among ordinary officers  over the apparent favouritism in both terms of service and equipment available to the newly-formed Special Anti Crime Unit.