Police officers found to be working up to 144 hours a week!

IN 2018 THE Police Welfare Association (PWA) made ‘tremendous representation’ on behalf of their members, including addressing excessive work hours.

This was the report delivered by the Chairman of the PWA, Sergeant Brenton Smith, as he delivered remarks at the Annual Police Award and Retirement Ceremony held at the Russell’s Auditorium on December 28, which the PWA co-hosted with the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.

Smith said that the PWA travelled to all stations and departments around the mainland to assess the working hours of their members.

“A complete assessment was done on the hours of work, and how much rest officers were allowed to recuperate and also what can be done to rectify and improve the hours of work for our fellow men and women,” he said.

Smith noted that they found that the policemen and women were overworked and stressed, and that “more and more are reporting sick due to fatigue.”

“We would have also found that we are the only country in the region whose men and women work 144 hours per week,” the Sergeant said, stressing that employees, as dictated by international law, should work a maximum of 40 hours a week.

“We have prepared a document showing for each station how many officers are presently on staff, and recommending how many are needed so that officers can be granted more time to rest and spend quality time with their families,” he noted.

He commended “Commissioner [Colin John] and the hierarchy” for accepting the document.

Smith said that they are now awaiting the implementation of this new proposal, but that the executive of the PWA would not rest until it has come into full effect.

“It makes no real sense that our men are forced to stay at the station for long hours with the belief that this will reduce crime, it will not work,” he stated, noting that the answer is not reducing police leave.

“I urge you that when the new leave system has been put into effect, use the time to rest and give your best performance to our organization and the country as a whole,” he told the officers.

Smith revealed that the PWA succeeded in rectifying a situation at the Argyle Fire Department, where members of that department were being greatly affected by the fumes from the asphalt processing plant next door. “The odour was so strong that even if you were drinking water it was as if you were drinking the asphalt,” he stated, while saying that the situation has now been resolved.

He asked the officers present not to take their health for granted, and not to keep the notion that they would not get promoted if they speakout for health.

The Chairman warned that they would spend the extra money they earn from a promotion on medical bills if that were the case.

“The PWA would continue to look out for the health and well being of our members, regardless of who we may offend, although we will do so respectfully,” he declared.

The Sergeant ended, “I am very proud that the hierarchy has worked with us for the formation of a retirement plan which is into its third month.”