EDITOR, The Tribune.

From the Constable on Patrol up the the Commissioner of Police (they are both COP) there is a need to maintain clarity of purpose. This is best done by appointing and leaving well alone. Confusion arises on the part of all parties when interference comes from the political side of our system of governance.

Our system allows for a changing of the guard from time to time and this works for both the politician and the policeman. The way this is done differs due to the nature of each. In the case of the politician it is the electorate that chooses every 5 years or so, who they want for the making of policy. In the case of the police their changing of the guard follows on a broader need for confidence in their capacity to do their duty. For the sake of greater stability and lesser petulance the system has a built in guard against easy change. When deemed necessary changes are possible but need to be done on a manner that does not erode the general confidence in the force by overly including political influence as opposed to policy influence.

It is well documented that our present COP obtained the post following some opposition by others who wished to fill the post. Now that those persons find their sunrise brightening there seems to be an effort underfoot to revisit those earlier decisions. My problem is I do not see this as being necessitated by any salient professional shortcomings on the part of the present structure of the police force. It appears to me more as a ploy to influence the directorate of the police force by those who failed to do so earlier.

I accept that politicians in power are expected to execute policy. I only wish they would understand that they do this for my benefit and that of the electorate and the population at large and therefore should make every effort to ensure that there is transparency, clarity if you will, in how this is done. There needs to be a case presented for any change and comment from the public needs to be invited. I should not have to suffer “sip sip” to figure what is going on with public policy. I ask those in authority of our policy to please let me and my fellow citizens know clearly what it is that necessitates this confusion regarding the COP.

SIMON RODEHN

Nassau,

August 14, 2017.