A GROUP of 30 police constables have emerged victorious in a judicial review claim against the Office of the Police Commissioner and the Promotion Advisory Board. Delivering judgment in their favour yesterday was Justice Westmin James, who declared there was an undue delay in the officers being considered for promotion even though they were all successful in their promotional examinations. The judge also held that the decision of the Commissioner of Police and/or the Board to utilise a particular Departmental Order in the assessment and promotion of the officers was unlawful, illegal, irrational, procedurally improper, null void and of no effect.
Further, Justice James directed that the Board compile and submit to the Commissioner of Police a revised Order of Merit List using the proper criteria to reflect the proper ranking of the Claimants within three months of his order. This must be published in a Departmental Order as required by Regulation 20 of the Police Service Regulations to allow the claimants to be properly ranked for when there are other vacancies, the judge ordered. Essentially, the judge found that the utilisation of Departmental Order 93 dated August 24, 2021, to consider the promotion of the officers was unlawful.
No interviews In their claim, which was mainly outlined in the affidavit of WPC Jennifer Sanchez, the officers similarly claimed they were all successful in their promotional examination, yet they were never invited by the Board for interviews for .