By NALINEE SEELAL Saturday, September 4 2010

FIVE days after taking over from James Philbert as Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) top cop Stephen Williams yesterday made administrative changes to his executive due to three senior officers proceeding on pre-retirement leave.

The three officers who have now made their exit from the police service are Asst Commissioners (ACP) Martin Morrain, John King and Lyndon McMillan. Morrain was ACP in charge of Homicide, while King was in charge of south, central and south-western divisions and McMillan was at the helm of Special Branch.

Newsday understands that Williams held an executive meeting on the Sixth Floor of the Police Administration building and announced that effective immediately, Asst Commissioner of Police Terry Young, who was in charge of Community Affairs, takes control of Police Mobile.

He will be replaced at Community Affairs by Snr Supt Margaret Sampson-Browne, who was yesterday moved to the rank of Asst Commissioner of Police. Asst Commissioner Fitzroy Fredericks has been moved from Mobile and is now in charge of south, central and south-western divisions.

According to well placed sources, David Nedd is now acting Asst Commissioner in charge of Homicide and replaces Morrain. Snr Supt Ann Marie Alleyne will replace McMillan as head of Special Branch.

This means that the police executive will now have two females, Ag ACP Alleyne and Snr Supt Margaret Sampson-Browne. Last Friday, Police Service Commission chairman Nizam Mohammed in an unprecedented move, brought a premature end to the four-month extension of then Ag Commissioner James Philbert.

Williams was named as Ag Commissioner pending the arrival of new Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs, who is expected in the country on September 15. “The changes were necessary in light of the officers proceeding on vacation leave, prior to pre-retirement,” Williams said.

“We continue to do all that is necessary to allow the organisation to function efficiently and effectively.” Williams added that it is customary for persons to be moved up when others proceed on pre-retirement and this is exactly what was done to fill the vacancies.

He welcomed the two females in the executive and added that the police service is well poised to ensure that the lives of citizens are made more meaningful, especially with the direction of the service in partnering with the public.