Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court has ruled that the Police Service Commission (PSC) acted legally and fairly when it ordered Police Commissioner Erla Harewood‑Christopher to step aside during an investigation into the purchase of two sniper rifles for the Strategic Services Agency.
Justice Christopher Sieuchand, delivering his decision on Monday, held that the PSC’s 31 January suspension was “lawful, reasonable and proportionate.” The judge said the move was an urgent administrative safeguard, not a punitive measure, and therefore fell squarely within the commission’s constitutional mandate.
Harewood‑Christopher—whose term ends on 15 May after two extensions—had asked the court to void the suspension on grounds that it was irrational and outside the PSC’s authority. Justice Sieuchand rejected those assertions, noting that removing the Commissioner from day‑to‑day command while the probe unfolded protected both the integrity of the investigation and public confidence in the police service.
The suspension came one day after the Commissioner was arrested and questioned over the allegedly unauthorised firearm procurement. She was released without charge two days later. Last weekend, however, Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, issued a four‑page statement concluding there was “no realistic prospect” of securing a conviction for misbehaviour in public office or any other offence. He advised that pursuing the matter further would be “legally wrong.”
In light of the DPP’s stance, the PSC has now withdrawn its instruction that Harewood‑Christopher remain off duty. Senior Counsel Deborah Peake, representing the commission, told the court that formal letters rescinding the suspension would be dispatched to both the Commissioner and the acting Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner Junior Benjamin, who has been filling the role since February with parliamentary approval.
Senior Counsel Pamela Elder, acting for Harewood‑Christopher, welcomed the PSC’s reversal and pressed for her client’s immediate reinstatement. Earlier, Elder had criticised the PSC for failing to provide sufficient particulars of the alleged misconduct.
Although Justice Sieuchand had allowed Harewood‑Christopher to pursue a judicial review of the PSC’s January decision, he refused to leave the post vacant during the litigation, warning that such a gap would undermine the leadership of the 7,000‑strong police service.
With the suspension lifted and the High Court declaring the PSC’s original action justified, attention now shifts to whether Harewood‑Christopher will resume command for the few remaining days of her term ‑‑ and to how the PSC will manage the leadership transition once her tenure formally expires next week.
