Penn State to recruit T&T top cop again?

The Police Service Commission (PSC) in Trinidad and Tobago has again selected Pennsylvania State University to find the country's next Commissioner of Police (CoP) and Deputy Commissioner.

It will recommend Penn State to Cabinet as the preferred firm to do the advertising and selection process for a new CoP.

In a statement, the PSC said: "On the approval by Cabinet of the required expenditure, Pennsylvania State University Justice and Safety Institute will be contracted to advertise and screen all applicants for the positions of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police."

It is the same firm that chose Supt. Stephen Williams last year as the most suitable candidate for the CoP but Prime Minister Patrick Manning rejected the recommendation on the grounds that Williams was not suitable for the job and that the recruitment system was "flawed".

Government House leader Colm Imbert told Parliament in June last year while the government didn't object to Williams on a personal basis, it had to reject the nomination because of "a number of flaws in the entire procedure from start to finish".

He said, "The Government is of the view that the process did not achieve its desired objective." He said while Williams was "well qualified" for the job he had not managed a major field division. He also noted that Deputy Police Commissioner James Philbert, who was subsequently appointed acting CoP, was the most senior officer in the Police Service and that based on seniority, Williams was 26th in line in the upper echelons of the Police Service.

One outspoken member of the PSC responded to Imbert in a TV interview saying the process was fair and at that at the end of the day "the best man" was chosen.

There was also speculation that members of the PSC would quit over the matter but that never happened.

Penn State team director Don Zettlemayer also rejected the government's explanation.

The Parliament subsequently changed the rules for appointing both top police officers, which led to Philbert's appointment. His term has been extended to Dec. 15.

Related: Bill coming soon to change rules

Former Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj is not impressed with the selection of a foreign firm.

He is asking why the PSC chose Penn State ahead of local institutions such as the University of the West Indies and University of Trinidad and Tobago.