Griffith: Well-orchestrated mission to undermine me

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Gail Alexander

Acting Police Commissioner Gary Griffith says there’s a “massive, well-orchestrated, clandestine mission” to undermine him.

“The hatred and fear for my return by some is mind-boggling, and they have put it as their mission to do all they can to prevent it,” he said via a statement yesterday, after returning from vacation leave.

“The detractors and defenders of criminal elements, inside and outside the Police Service, have almost exhausted their vomit and lies, in their last-ditch desperate attempt, in the hope that their trash talk of falsehoods, can influence the (PSC’s) Merit List, and affect the selection process.”

Citing success in defeating “fellow honourable rival applicants” in the 2018 selection process and listing accomplishments, Griffith said the only possibility detractors and those involved in the mission against him had for him not to be re-appointed wasn’t in a fair race, “but through a massive, well-orchestrated clandestine mission to undermine me with lies, which uses certain media contacts in the process.”

Griffith said he understood some may be uncomfortable with his leadership style.

“So the criminal elements, and the few rogue ‘Trojan Horse’ police officers who’ve been affected by my actions, would indeed be desperate to see my back, which is why they keep running to their media contacts to complain – because I’ve affected their big criminal enterprise.”

He slammed newspaper articles on a report from a committee involving two retired security heads who probed allegations of a license-for-sale racket in the granting of Firearms User Licenses (FULs).

On Wednesday in Parliament, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley replied to Opposition queries on whether the report on the investigation will be made public.

Calling yesterday for an investigation of how the report was leaked, Griffith questioned if the newspaper and journalist even has such a report.

“I challenge them to show any such report which is signed by both members of this committee, which by the way, I approved and thereby allowed to proceed to any part of the Police Service to acquire data for their report.”

Griffith’s contract ended on August 17.

The Police Service Commission has been involved in the selection process for the post since June 17. That process now appears on hold.

Griffith detailed policies he had enacted that caused officers to be charged with extortion for the issuing of firearms, prevented others in stations from blackmailing citizens to acquire same, halted a $100 million-plus per annum overtime racket and expose/charged officers for using State equipment to escort vehicles without authorisation.

Among those he claimed were against him was a “gundelero” who complains about people getting too many firearms, including 5.56 ammunition.

“But they only voiced concerns after they applied and acquired several firearms themselves, exposing their own hypocrisy because they have multiple firearms and 5.56 ammunition.”

He said the “last-ditch attempt to discredit him and TTPS” was to use a report compiled by a two-man team to do a series of articles, “seen by no one other than a journalist.”

Griffith said the report used words like “sources,” “alleged,” “rumoured” and “intelligence” because “they’re devoid of any witnesses, accusers, facts, data or shred of evidence.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if only one member signed this report and presented it, hence this so-called report is the personal biased view of one citizen, and not a committee as touted.”

He said it was the “same regurgitated vomit” by one newspaper every Sunday, repeating the “same lies” from one individual, who “obviously has an agenda.”

He said the person has no post in national security.

He said it was strange none of the investigative bodies – PSC, Police Complaints Authority, Director of Public Prosecutions or TTPS received the report, but the newspaper did.

“If any of these accusations are even remotely true, then whoever leaked this report has now tipped off criminal elements, giving them opportunity to cover their tracks, which can be considered a criminal offence via tipping off, through the Proceeds of Crime Act. Who knows if this was indeed the plan, but no matter the reason, an investigation seems fitting.”

He added, “I’m waiting for them to exhaust their vomit of desperate lies, and then would reveal all the facts via the authorised investigative bodies – and not one person who has no investigative authority, but with an obvious agenda that produced theories and perceptions based on allegations and rumours, and submitted a report conveniently just prior to the closure of the process for the appointment of a CoP.’’

He said revelations will show “their baseless conspiracy has failed miserably, which was exposed when an applicant for the CoP post was even boasting that they’d find a way to have me removed from the process because of his knowledge that he could never acquire more points than me via the assessment process.”

“Let them keep braying – evil could never win.”