After months of deliberation, the Mayor and City Councillors of Georgetown have finally moved to appoint a Deputy Chief Constable for the City Constabulary.
Laurel Gittens had been working in the position for a number of months under the premise that she was on probation, however, Councillor Sherod Duncan on Monday afternoon appealed to the Council on the officer’s behalf.
Senior Superintendent Laurel Gittens
After highlighting that Gittens has served the constabulary for some 31 years, Councillor Duncan explained that by the time the Constable completes her six-month probationary period, she would have already passed her retirement mark. Duncan lamented the unfairness of the matter, noting that the Constable deserves to be appointed substantively after all the contributions she has made over the years. Another argument put forward in Gittens’ favour was the fact that she had acted in the position of Chief Constable on numerous occasion when the Chief Constable Andrew Foo was on annual leave.
It was disclosed that the Chief Constable did not disagree with the recommendation of Gittens’ promotion but he requested that the probation be attached. After which an evaluation will be done, and the position could be confirmed or not confirmed.
Councillors Noelle Chow-Chee, Andrea Marks and Carlyle Goring followed suit in the plea for Gittens’ appointment. Marks in her statement, admitted to agreeing to the probation at a meeting, however she pointed out that the retirement mark was not disclosed nor was it taken into consideration. She explained that had she been aware of those complications, she would have protested the probation upfront. The Chief Constable opted to remain silent during the debate, even after members of the Council called for him to disclose the ‘reasons’ why he requested that Gittens be put on probation. The fact that Foo had not been through a probation phase when he was being appointed was also debated by the Councillor.
Subsequently, by way of a unanimous vote, Gittens was promoted to senior Superintendent and appointed as the Deputy Chief Constable.
Gittens’ promotion was being mulled over since December of last year, after the need for a Deputy Chief Constable was underlined by Councillors and Mayor Patricia Chase Green.
