Erla trusts God for justice against those who ‘conspired’ to end her career

Senior Reporter

shane.superville

@guardian.co.tt

Former police commissioner Erla Harewood-Christopher says that while life has continued for her after her arrest and departure from the TTPS, she is trusting God to bring justice against those who she said “conspired to end her career.”

Harewood-Christopher was arrested at her office at the Police Administration Building, Sackville Street, Port-of-Spain, on January 30, days before the two-year anniversary of her appointment as commissioner.

She was arrested as part of criminal enquiries into the unauthorised transfer of two AX-2 bolt-action sniper rifles from the TTPS to the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).

Harewood-Christopher was eventually released without any charges being laid on February 1, and further cleared of any wrongdoing on May 9, when Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard, SC, decided there was insufficient evidence to charge her with any criminal offence.

Responding to Guardian Media’s questions via WhatsApp on Thursday about her life after leaving public office, Harewood-Christopher said she was still committed to her faith.

Without referring to anyone in particular, Harewood-Christopher said she also trusted in God for justice against those she described as “conspirators” against her.

“It is in God that I find my comfort, and on whom I rely for justice against those who conspired to damage my reputation and bring a premature end to my career. God never fails.”

Harewood-Christopher said that while she knew it would be inevitable, she would one day have to leave the TTPS, she did not expect her departure to happen under such turbulent circumstances.

“Life continues, and nothing is permanent, not even a permanent secretary.

“I lived knowing that I will one day return to civilian life. What I didn’t anticipate were the circumstances that precipitated my exit.

“I am grateful, however, that I always believed that I serve a God who is bigger than anything I can imagine, who himself endured much more adversity than I ever will, but who is able to deliver me to the uttermost.”

Despite this, Harewood-Christopher said she sought refuge in her faith as a Christian.

Guardian Media also spoke to the president of the TTPS Social Welfare Association ASP Ishmael Pitt, who said, despite the public perception and views shared on social media, he was optimistic that the enquiry into Harewood-Christopher was done without any malice or ill-will.

“We have been policing ourselves to the extent that it doesn’t matter what rank one may assume in the organisation, if investigations are to be done, investigations are done. But from an association perspective, we will always champion that these investigations are done in a particular way so as not to demean or bring into disrepute the characters of our officers.”

During the time of the arrest and probe into Harewood-Christopher, former president of the police association, ASP Gideon Dickson, made it clear that he was not pleased with the approach of investigating officers.