Police appeal begins today

FOURTEEN SENIOR POLICE officers, challenging their case of being omitted from promotions four years ago, will have their matter heard before the Court of Appeal today.

Led by Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson, the court is being asked to reverse the decision of High Court judge Justice Margaret Reifer, who last December 23 dismissed the officers’ case, ruling there was no evidence supporting their charge that the Police Service Commission (PSC) acted unreasonably and arbitrarily in the promotion process.

Through their attorney, Queen’s Counsel Ralph Thorne, the officers, who ranged in rank from sergeant to superintendent, have filed 18 grounds of appeal, including that the judge “erred in law in finding that there was no contravention of the law as it pertained to the acts of the PSC in the manner in which it dealt with the names of the officers who were recommended for promotion”.

Erred in law

They also charged that Justice Reifer erred in law when she failed to consider the Police (Promotion) Regulations as they applied to the requirement of the PSC to consult the Commissioner of Police if it (PSC) required any further information pertaining to the matter of recommendations for promotion.

The officers were all recommended for promotion by former commissioner of police Darwin Dottin, who was subsequently suspended from duties by the PSC.

Today’s hearing comes less than a week after 56 officers were promoted and received letters of appointment from acting Commissioner of Police Tyrone Griffith.

At the top of promotions was Senior Superintendent Erwin Boyce who moved up the ladder to assistant commissioner, while Superintendent Lybron Sobers was appointed senior superintendent. (TS)