PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — The recent legal resolution surrounding Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher’s suspension has sparked new discussions about authority, transparency, and public trust in Trinidad and Tobago’s policing institutions.
Earlier this year, Harewood-Christopher was temporarily removed from her duties following scrutiny over the acquisition of two sniper rifles for the Strategic Services Agency. Though she was arrested and later released without charge, the Police Service Commission (PSC) moved swiftly to suspend her amid an ongoing investigation—drawing both criticism and praise for its assertiveness.
The High Court has now ruled that the Commission acted within its rights. According to Justice Christopher Sieuchand, the PSC’s decision to sideline the Commissioner was not punitive but “urgent and administratively necessary.” The ruling emphasized that institutions must be allowed the room to act decisively when their integrity is under public lens.
Yet, just as swiftly as the PSC acted to suspend, it has now lifted the measure. This comes after Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, issued a formal statement declaring there was no viable path to a conviction. In response, the PSC confirmed its intent to restore the Commissioner’s operational authority.
This case has highlighted a broader issue: how governance bodies handle leadership accountability when no criminal wrongdoing is confirmed but public perception demands responsiveness. Senior attorneys on both sides debated the appropriateness of the PSC’s actions, with Harewood-Christopher’s counsel arguing she was given little clarity on the misconduct she was accused of. The court disagreed.
Throughout the process, Parliament moved to secure operational continuity by endorsing Deputy Commissioner Junior Benjamin as acting head. Now, with the original commissioner days away from the official end of her term, the focus turns to succession—and whether the PSC’s balancing act between institutional discipline and individual rights has reshaped expectations of public service leadership in Trinidad and Tobago.
Whether seen as overreach or prudence, the Commission’s handling of this high-profile case has reaffirmed one thing: in the face of public scrutiny, decisions must not only be legal—but also be seen to preserve the credibility of the very systems they govern.
