Whenever you feel Hinds has made his most ridiculous statement, he shocks you by making an even more unhinged comment.
To state that all police officers must have the height of basketball players to be relevant, shows his ignorance in understanding law enforcement.
In his latest statements to the media, Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds demonstrates why he is seen as the biggest failure of any Minister in the history of the country, as he shares that he disagrees with the recent court decision against height restrictions in the TTPS, stating, “you want when you post an officer in a crowd, he can be seen and not only seen by the person who is standing immediately next to him.”
In line with his disrespect and arrogance towards members of the public, his comments can also be seen in the same way to the court ruling. This is something Hinds should be wary of, since comments he made after a previous ruling saw the Law Association make a public statement chastising Hinds for his “reckless” statement, and seeking an apology for his ‘attack’ on the judiciary.
Hinds’ comments also show how little he understands modern 21st-century policing, where many police officers do not need to meet specific height requirements. This is because they are part of units such as Cyber Crime, Gender-Based Violence, Social Media Monitoring, and Fraud. Others are not tasked with being on the streets because they are involved in online reporting, monitoring the police app, taking 999 calls, forensic, DNA, and ballistic testing, as well as working in IT. Even fewer specialized officers participate in undercover and covert operations, which also do not require a height qualification.
These are specialized units that require highly qualified individuals to effectively operationalize them. Limiting the recruitment of individuals based on their height can adversely affect the overall performance of the Police Service. Even if there are still height restrictions in place, best practices in those jurisdictions dictate making exemptions for individuals who can assist the police, because they have the capability and qualifications required for these specialized units.
Imagine the country losing out on its most qualified candidates in cyber crime, DNA and ballistic testing all because they are one inch shorter than the previously required height. Instead getting others who barely meet minimum standards but who meet the height requirement. Losing out on the opportunity to have the best could never be good for any organisation, but this takes a backseat perhaps because the requirement once served Hinds well, as lacking any discernible skills, him meeting the height requirement, was the basis for him becoming a police officer.
Despite his attempt to justify his position as common sense however, it is evident that it runs contrary to logic. A glance at global practices reveals that such discriminatory legislation has long been abandoned due to its inefficacy and unjust nature, as well as because other jurisdictions understand the value of having qualified individuals who possess talent in one of those specific fields, regardless of their height.
As a former police officer, lawyer and present Minister of National Security, Hinds’ lack of understanding of policing, law enforcement and the law itself is astounding, and he really should know better. But so incompetent, divisive, or bitter he is, he doubled down, expressing that the government will be challenging the decision, which, having already cost the state $400,000 as payment to the recruit who filed the case (excluding the state’s legal fees), is set to cost taxpayers in the millions in total.
Another monumental waste of money, it is a further demonstration of why this Keith Rowley-led government continues to fail so badly in the goal of providing safety and security to citizens.
Gary Griffith
NTA Political Leader
Email: ntaistheway@gmail.com