ACTING Commissioner of Police Erla Harewood-Christopher is on the notification by President Paula-Mae Weekes for nomination for the post of Police Commissioner.
The Order Paper for Friday’s sitting of the House of Representatives under “Orders” states, “The Notification of Her Excellency, the President, in respect of the nomination of Mrs Erla Harewood-Christopher for appointment to the Office of Commissioner of Police (By the Speaker of the House).”
Harewood-Christopher has been acting in the position of top cop since acting CoP McDonald Jacob took vacation leave last year.
Once successful, she would become the first woman to ever hold the top position in the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS).
According to the law, the Police Service Commission (PolSC) has to send a merit list to the President who will forward it to be debated in the House of Representatives.
AZP News was told that the PolSC will send one name at a time.
Harewood-Christopher joined the Police Service in 1982 as a constable and held the position of acting deputy commissioner since May 2017 up until her most recent appointment of acting police commissioner.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in public sector management from The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, and a Master’s degree in applied criminology and police management from the University of Cambridge, England.
Last October, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley piloted the motion to have Harewood Christopher act in place of Jacob and that Government planned to make an adjustment to the law that demands that all appointments to the positions of Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police come to the Parliament for approval be it permanent positions or temporary.
