Embattled Police commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher
Trinidad and Tobago – Explosive allegations of attempts to pervert the course of justice have surfaced against a senior police officer involved in the investigation of Police Commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher. These claims, made in 2023 by Sgt. Sean Haywood, predate the current investigation into Commissioner Harewood-Christopher but raise serious questions about the conduct of the senior officer.
Sgt. Haywood, who was working with the police’s Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) at the time, detailed his concerns in a report to Deputy Commissioner of Police Intelligence and Investigations Curt Simon. Copies of the report were also sent to Commissioner Harewood-Christopher for forwarding to the Minister of National Security, Fitzgerald Hinds, as well as to the head of the National Security Council and the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).
The allegations center around the senior officer’s handling of two firearm-related investigations. Sgt. Haywood claims the senior officer attempted to obstruct justice, showed bias, lacked transparency and accountability, and even acted contrary to the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). He alleges the senior officer instructed him to alter evidence in a firearm case, specifically to “dismantle a firearm, remove a part of the said firearm seized and hand over the firearm evidence back to the suspect,” a move Sgt. Haywood says contradicted the DPP’s advice.
The timing of these allegations is significant, as they come amidst an ongoing probe into Commissioner Harewood-Christopher. She was arrested and interrogated eleven days ago but has yet to be charged. The DPP, Roger Gaspard, is still reviewing the evidence presented by the investigating team. Possible charges against the Commissioner could include misbehaviour in public office related to the granting of licenses for two sniper firearms that ultimately ended up with the Strategic Services Agency (SSA), which is itself under investigation.
Sgt. Haywood confirmed the 2023 report in a statement to the Sunday Express. “Any reports I would have sent, were sent not because I hate the person but would have been done in the interest of the Police Service,” he said. “I did what I was supposed to do. And you should also note that this was not as a result of what is going on now (i.e., the ongoing investigations with respect to the Commissioner of Police). My report was done a long time ago. Nothing came out of it. But I did my part and I stand by my words.”
According to Sgt. Haywood’s letters, he was so troubled by what he witnessed that he took his allegations directly to the Minister of National Security via Commissioner Harewood-Christopher. In a letter dated November 17, 2023, he formally documented the alleged attempt by the senior officer to pervert the course of justice, attaching his original July 5, 2023, report to Deputy Commissioner Simon.
Sgt. Haywood’s report details how the senior officer allegedly “stymied” investigations into individuals linked to high-profile illegal weapons cases. He claims the senior officer instructed him not to interview certain individuals, arguing they were “good persons” and should not be charged, suggesting a potential conflict of interest. He also alleges the senior officer repeatedly questioned his investigative approach and pushed for specific individuals to be excluded from the investigation.
Furthermore, Sgt. Haywood claims the senior officer attempted to circumvent the DPP’s advice. He recounts a phone conversation he overheard between the senior officer and the DPP, where the DPP explicitly stated that the investigative process should “follow as per usual and take its natural course.” Despite this, Sgt. Haywood alleges the senior officer later instructed him to alter evidence, a direct contradiction of the DPP’s directive.
Sgt. Haywood’s report concludes with a plea for a transfer from the PSB, citing a “lack of transparency, accountability, apparent bias, illegal instructions and pressure to pervert the course of justice.” He expressed his belief that the senior officer was actively trying to sabotage his investigations.
These allegations raise serious concerns about the integrity of police investigations and the potential for interference in the pursuit of justice. The fact that these claims predate the current investigation into Commissioner Harewood-Christopher adds another layer of complexity to an already sensitive situation. The public awaits further developments and clarification from the relevant authorities.