The case of a policeman, who has been off the job for most of the past nine years and continuing to draw full salary is now occupying the attention of new Police Commissioner, James Clarkson.
This was confirmed to GRENADA TODAY by Spokesman for the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), Troy Garvey.
Reports reaching this newspaper suggest that Sergeant Adrian Peters who once served in the Prosecution Department took study leave in 1999 and managed to draw his full salary until a few weeks ago.
Garvey said that the new chief COP has issued instructions for Peters' salary to be immediately stopped pending an investigation into allegations that the officer is now living and working full time in the United States.
He stated that the officer is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Spanish and Criminal Justice at Mid-western University in Texas.
An RGPF insider is blaming an inefficient Administrative Division within the force for the problem now existing with Peters.
"I don't think anybody should blame Peters for what is happening. As far as I am concerned, he did nothing wrong. If the people in Administration did their work properly and (were) performing, this would not happen at all", he said.
According to Garvey, neither the State or RGPF are paying Peters' tuition fees at the university but the officer is apparently meeting his own expenses in conjunction with Mid-western.
In the past, Sgt. Peters visited Grenada during his holidays from school and often took up job assignments mainly with the Prosecution Department of the force.
It is not known when last the officer came back into the country on such a stint.
According to Garvey, the Police High command did grant approval to Peters to pursue his studies abroad.
The officer first left for studies in Cuba and then headed to the United States where he graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Spanish and French.
He latter applied for additional study leave to do a higher degree.
Garvey said that a senior police officer in the High Command contacted the Department of Personnel Management Services (DPMS) in the Office of the Prime Minister for guidance on the issue.
He spoke of the department choosing to shy away from the matter on the grounds that Sgt. Peters, as a junior officer did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission (PSC) but rather the police force.
Well-placed sources told this newspaper that Commissioner Clarkson might be looking at a few other instances of policemen not on the job at the moment but continuing to get their full salaries.
Since the change of government in St. George's following the July 8 general elections, a number of thorny and controversial issues involving police officers have come to the forefront.
The latest involved the role of some police officers in what has now become known as the "Stationery Scandal in which a female police officer was allowed to set up her own business to import and sell stationery to RGPF at high prices.
