Opposition leader Dr Keith Mitchell has vowed to write Commissioner of Police, James Clarkson, over what he said were serious concerns within the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
In his first press conference in his new duties, the ex-Prime Minister claimed that under the eight week old administration of his successor, Tillman Thomas police officers are fearful to do their job.
"There is a total fear among members of the police force at this particular time", said Mitchell, a former Minister of National Security with responsibility for the Police.
He charged that the only other time RGPF was so politicised and members being harassed was under the 1979-83 Grenada Revolution of late marxist leader, Maurice Bishop.
During his 13-year tenure as Prime Minister, Mitchell is known to have recruited two police officers to run as candidates for his New National Party (NNP) in general elections.
The former Prime Minister also commended ex- commissioner, Winston James, who was replaced by Clarkson one month ago as the new chief cop. According to Mitchell, he had total confidence in James who he said he did an excellent job and was a man of tremendous principles.
He chided the new administration for making the change in leadership since he did not see it as the best thing to do at this point in time. On Commissioner Clarkson's appointment, Mitchell said that he had worked with him in the past and considers him to be someone of high professionalism and expected to see him perform his job in an atmosphere of non-political activity.
However, he said that whether or not the new COP is aware of the level of politicisation within the force, he is concerned about what is happening and will be asking Clarkson to look into several problems within the police force.
These, he said relate to the perception that orders are being given by political operatives of the new government to police officers. He did not elaborate or give specific details.
Another area of concern of the former Prime Minister was an allegation that NDC operatives left him stranded by removing the State vehicles and security details from him while he was still in charge of the affairs of the nation.
In addition, he said these operatives of Congress entered the Ministerial Complex and Office of the Prime Minister and decided on their own to take over the security of the country.
Mitchell also commented on what he said were several gun shots that were fired around the island in a celebration mood on the night of the July 8 poll.
He said that he was at the official residence of the Prime Minister at Mt Royal and immediately after it was made clear that NDC had won the election"a high level of gun shots" were heard throughout many parts of the country such as River Road, Tempe and in some rural areas.
Several callers to a local radio station refuted the claims made by Mitchell and said that they fire works being sent into the sky by jubilant Congress supporters.
According to Mitchell, it should be noted that before the election some people were being pressured to vote a particular way and warned that if they did not do so for Congress then there will be bloodshed. He likened the situation existing in the country as a typical scene in the Gaza Strip where Israelis and Palestinians continue to battle for control of disputed territory in the Middle East.
