HE was hailed as the "face of change" for the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, on the TTPS's official website.
His 21st Century Policing Initiative was touted as being "a new day is close to hand", on the organisation's website.
He had just under two years left to serve in his three-year contract as Police Commissioner.
The Government supported him.
In his first calendar year as Police Commissioner, he managed to reduce the murder toll by more than 27 per cent as compared to the previous year (albeit during a three-month-long State of Emergency).
Everything seemed to be going according to plan.
This is how Dr Dwayne Gibbs started 2012.
But as Gibbs, an avid marathon runner, knows, the race is not for the swift but for those who can endure.
He did not endure.
On August 7, Canadians Gibbs and Deputy Police Commissioner Jack Ewatski quit their positions in the TTPS.
This is the timeline to the tendering of their resignations:
JANUARY 12, 2012—
EMERGENCY MEETING
Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) Prof Ramesh Deosaran called an emergency meeting of the PSC to "discuss and finalise the appraisal/evaluation" of Gibbs and the two deputy commissioner Ewatski and Stephen Williams.
The trio were to be evaluated in four categories: law enforcement—40 per cent; public trust and confidence—25 per cent; human management—20 per cent; strategic management—15 per cent.
JANUARY 19, 2012—
EVALUATION DAY
The country's three highest-ranking police officers attended a meeting at the Queen Street, Port of Spain, secretariat of the PSC.
The meeting lasted just over one hour.
Gibbs described the meeting with the PSC as "very amicable, very good" but said it was "in camera, and we do not discuss what goes on in those meetings".
However, the meeting could not have come at a worse time in terms of public opinion.
Twenty-eight murders had already been recorded for the year.
Gibbs, however, tried to allay the fear of citizens.
JANUARY 27, 2012—
PLANE PROBLEMS
Opposition Member of Parliament Donna Cox questioned during a sitting of the Lower House at the International Waterfront Centre in Port Spain a $900,000 contract between the TTPS and a local company for air-support services three months after e-mail exchanges between Ewatski with the company's directors.
Cox read from a letter of intent between Gibbs and Dirk Barnes, managing director of Trinidad and Tobago Air Support Company located in Tacarigua, about the company supplying its "Sky View Surveillance Support" as a "law enforcement aviation pilot project".
The contract was for 720 hours use of Zenith CH 750 Air Scout Aircraft for a three-month evaluation period at a cost of TT$902,772 or US$140,400.
FEBRUARY 17, 2012—APPRAISALS COMPLETED
The appraisal of the performance of the country's three highest-ranking police officers is completed by the PSC and 13 recommendations were made for Gibbs and his deputies to take "very, very seriously".
The results of the evaluation are however not revealed.
FEBRUARY 24, 2012—
DAMNING REPORT
THE PSC appeared before a Joint Select Committee meeting of Parliament and its chairman Deosaran gave Gibbs a damning report.
Deosaran said Gibbs's leadership skills had been found to be "terribly lacking"; that he was "disrespectful" in terms of his responses to the "legitimate enquiries" of the commission; that his level of enthusiasm was "far from satisfactory"; that he was relying on public relations and paid advertisement rather than substantive results; and that he was warned in a meeting two weeks ago that he was "close to the brink".
It is revealed that Gibbs and Ewatski both received a "fair" grade while Williams's performance was rated as "satisfactory".
The rating scale goes as follows: poor, unsatisfactory, fair, satisfactory, good, very good and excellent.
MARCH 3, 2012—GIBBS WRONG
Solicitor General Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell concluded that Gibbs acted "without authority" in the award of a contract to Zenith Air Scout Surveillance Aircraft at an estimated cost of $902,772.00.
Donaldson-Honeywell said only a permanent secretary had this authority.
Gibbs, she stressed, did not have the authority to enter into procurement transactions of any dollar value without adhering to the existing Central Tenders Board Act provisions.
MARCH 4, 2012—GIBBS FIRES BACK
Gibbs dismissed the findings by Donaldson-Honeywell that he had no lawful authority to lease a light sport aircraft for use by the TTPS.
"The TTPS did not purchase any such aircraft but have leased the aircraft for testing and evaluation. We are simply conducting a 12-week feasibility study to determine whether this type of aircraft would enhance our airborne crime-fighting capabilities."
MARCH 21, 2012—
NO CASE FOR JACK
Gibbs wrote to the PSC and informed them that he was advised by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard that then works minister Jack Warner had no case to answer with respect to allegations of bribery purported to have taken place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Port of Spain on or about May 10, 2011.
He said the matter was investigated by the Police Service and the DPP advised the matter can proceed no further.
The PSC had in turn passed on this information via letter dated May 7, 2012 to Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley.
MAY 29, 2012—
GASPARD DENIES GIBBS'S CLAIM
Gaspard denied that he ever advised the police to stop investigations into allegations of bribery, alleged to have taken place at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Port of Spain on or about May 10, 2011. The allegations involved Warner a former vice-president of FIFA.
In fact, Gaspard said he told police that investigations should be continued in the context of the Customs Act.
"If the Commissioner said so, then the Commissioner is inaccurately characterising the advice that I gave," Gaspard said.
JUNE 25, 2012—
JACK REPLACES SANDY
Brigadier John Sandy removed as National Security Minister and replaced by Warner.
JULY 6, 2012—WARNER SLAMS GIBBS
Warner met with the Police Service Social Welfare Association and slammed Gibbs's 21st Century Policing Initiative.
"The 21st Century Policing, both the association and I as Minister, are on the same page. We are against it. Under my watch, it will have to change," Warner said.
It signalled what appeared to be the start of a strained relationship between Warner and Gibbs.
JULY 10, 2012—GIBBS IN HOT SEAT
Gibbs placed publicly in the hot seat by Warner.
Gibbs was asked by Warner to respond to questions about the safety of the capital Port-of-Spain during a news conference at the National Security Ministry following a meeting with local government heads.
"The mayor says he cannot understand why Port of Spain with a city of four square miles, is not the safest city. He could not understand that nor can I, can you help us?" Jack asked Gibbs.
Gibbs responded and said that the service can have thousands of officers out on the streets but they will get the same results. "We have to look at how we deploy our officers. How do we engage them with the community? How is the community working to create safety for themselves because officers are out there to assist but the community has to say they want a safe community," Gibbs said.
JULY 26, 2012—RESIGNATIONS TENDERED
Gibbs and Ewatski tendered their resignations to the PSC.
JULY 30, 2012—
KAMLA ANNOUNCES RESIGNATIONS
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced the resignations of Gibbs and Ewatski.
"On behalf of the Government and people of Trinidad and Tobago I wish to thank Commissioner Gibbs and deputy Commissioner Ewatski for their service. We stand ready to support the new acting Commissioner of Police and other deputy Commissioners and we pray for their success," said Persad-Bissessar.
JULY 31, 2012—WILLIAMS NEW acting CoP
The PSC appointed Williams as acting Police Commissioner until end of this month.
The PSC said it gave "careful and deliberate consideration to the suitability of eligible officers and it was unanimously decided that Mr Williams is the most suitable officer to perform the duties of Commissioner of Police at this point in time pending the permanent filling of the office."
JULY 31, 2012—NO REGRETS
Gibbs and Ewatski issued a joint statement that stated their decision to resign was based on "personal reasons".
The duo said they had no regrets accepting the positions of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner and hoped the country would "become a more peaceful place".
AUGUST 1, 2012—MILLION-DOLLAR PAYOUTS
Acting Attorney General Ganga Singh announced that the State took a decision to make a total ex gratia payment of over $2 million to Gibbs and Ewatski.
"The Attorney General (Ag) advises that consequent upon the resignation of the Commissioner of Police, Dr Dwayne Gibbs, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Jack Ewatski, the payment of ex gratia sums in the amount of $1,277,420 and $1,210,307 respectively were recommended to, and approved by, both the National Security Council and the Cabinet," the news release said.
"In a tense and highly challenging environment, both Dr Gibbs and Mr Ewatski performed their duties courageously. Their premature departure leaves an unexpired term of 14 months under their contracts of employment, with a before tax value of $1,684,557.33 and $1,590,073.33 respectively. The agreed ex gratia payments are intended to assist both gentlemen in their resettling efforts," Singh said.
Gibbs was paid a monthly salary of $120,325.52 before tax, and Ewatski, $113,576.66 monthly.
AUGUST 7, 2012—FINAL DAY
The last day in office for Gibbs and Ewatski.
