POLICE ASSOCIATION QUESTIONS LACK OF PROMOTIONS

The Royal Cayman Islands Police Association (RCIPA) is demanding that Police Commissioner Derek Byrne take action to formally promote officers into posts that they have been acting in for extended periods.

In a press release on Monday, the Association said it has served the Commissioner with a Letter Before Action (LBA) in which it claims that Commissioner Byrnes has failed to fill vacancies which officers are qualified to fully take over.

This move is a precursor to the Association taking legal action against the Commissioner.

The Police Association says that the Commissioner “has and continues to misuse his powers under section 6 of the Police Law by (i) appointing officers to acting-up roles for periods in excess of 12 months; and (ii) failing to hold promotion interview boards.”

The LBA document says “the current improper and unfair system of promotions by the CoP is in breach of the COP’s legal obligations and is contrary to the Public Services Management Law (2018 Revision) and Personnel Regulations (2019 Revision).”

According to the Police Association, officers have been appointed by the Commissioner to acting roles and have remained in these roles for more than the 12-month statutory time limit.

It says “these appointments have been happening at an alarming rate, with officers remaining in acting roles for up to nearly 4 years.”

The Association further states that “at present, there are approximately 21 officers who have been appointed to and remain in acting roles in excess of the one-year time limit.”

The consequence of this, it argues, is that other officers who have passed the promotion examination from as far back as 2007, have been denied an opportunity to be promoted to these roles.

In its press release, the Police Association says there are currently 57 constables who have passed the promotion to sergeant examination, and 16 sergeants who have passed the promotion to inspector examination, who are all awaiting an opportunity to be interviewed by the promotion board.

“However, none of the acting positions has been advertised during the last 3 years and no scheduled dates have been set for a promotion interview board to be convened,” it states.