Govt orders police transfers put on hold

Last Updated on Tuesday, 19 May 2015, 21:57 by GxMedia

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Leslie James

by Zena Henry

The government has put a hold on all police transfers until further notice

The transfer of the Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Assistant Commissioner Leslie James is among , according to well-placed sources. He and others had been instructed to report to different locations Tuesday but early in the morning they were told to remain in their existing positions.

The newly-elected government, which is yet to swear in ministers, has asked that James remain in his position as the country’s top detective.

The decision was taken after it was reported that James would have been replaced by Senior Superintendent, Wendell Blanhum. James was expected to be shifted to the Police Commissioner’s office.

Stemming from that, according to the sources, all police transfers have been put on hold until further notice. Other planned transfers would see the Commander of ‘C’ Division, Christopher Griffith and his counterparts from ‘D’ and ‘D’ Divisions- Marlon Chapman and Calvin Brutus- being affected. Chapman, who is now in West Demerara, should have been posted to East Coast Demerara and Griffith was expected to leave East Coast Demerara for Berbice.

The source said that the decision to remove James was not one instructed or supported by the current A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition-led administration.

While it is expected that there will be major shake ups in some government agencies many of those are expected when the various officials are given their designations.