Former Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith has alleged that overtime abuse has resurfaced within the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), raising concerns about financial oversight, police visibility and accountability under the current leadership.
Griffith claimed that during his tenure, the Police Service reduced overtime expenditure by approximately TT$100 million while simultaneously increasing police visibility across the country.
According to Griffith, the savings allowed his administration to introduce new policing initiatives, acquire equipment and strengthen specialised units without requiring additional government funding.
These initiatives reportedly included body cameras, GPS tracking systems, investigative technology and the Gender-Based Violence Unit.
The former commissioner alleged that questionable overtime practices have since returned. He claimed that the restoration of TT$100 million in previously reduced costs, together with a further TT$100 million funding request, represented a TT$200 million swing in expenditure.
His statements come amid renewed scrutiny of TTPS finances following the disclosure of official overtime payment figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
The records show that the Police Service paid approximately TT$793.89 million in overtime between January 2024 and August 2026. Payments for the first eight months of 2026 alone totalled TT$283.19 million, exceeding the amount recorded throughout 2025.
Commissioner of Police Allister Guevarro has separately defended the substantial overtime expenditure, citing manpower shortages, extended working hours and the operational demands associated with states of emergency.
Guevarro also maintained that senior officers, including the Commissioner of Police, are not entitled to overtime payments.
Griffith stressed that police officers who legitimately work additional hours deserve proper compensation. He did not accuse the current commissioner of personally benefiting from alleged overtime abuse, but argued that police leadership must be accountable for how public funds are managed.
While the disclosed financial records confirm substantial overtime payments, they do not independently establish that the expenditure involved corruption.
The controversy has renewed questions about oversight, the management of police resources and whether increasing overtime expenditure is producing measurable improvements in public safety.
