THE legal team for embattled chairman of the Police Federation Corporal Rohan James should today reappear before a Supreme Court judge to continue mounting its challenge against the decision of Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson to interdict their client.

James was interdicted over remarks he made in July at a funeral service for a slain cop. Following a probe, the police commissioner directed that disciplinary action be taken against James at a Court of Enquiry, and that he was being interdicted from duty with immediate effect at three-quarters of his salary.

Speaking at the thanksgiving service for the life of slain Constable Damien Blair, at the Old Harbour New Testament Church of God in St Catherine on July 15, James reportedly chided the police high command for allegedly failing to have overtime payments made to rank-and-file police personnel, despite the Government approving such a system to calculate and make the payments.

The federation chairman, who has received strong backing from several quarters for speaking out, has mounted a legal challenge against the commissioner’s decision through an application filed last week.

On Wednesday a member of James’ legal team, Hugh Wildman, told the Jamaica Observer that no resolve was reached.

“The matter is yet to be determined, the judge said she could not hear it, it is to be heard in chambers, so tomorrow we will be back again,” Wildman said tersely.

James, who has been suspended from all duties, is to face a Court of Inquiry where, if he is found guilty, the sanctions could range from a lengthy suspension, demotion, and at its most — extreme dismissal from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

In the application filed on Friday, Wildman asked the court to issue a stay of the decision of the high command pending the hearing.

He is being accused of conduct contrary to the “discipline, good order and guidance of the force”, and is facing four charges including being disrespectful to seniors in rank and communicating to the public certain sensitive issues within the JCF without permission from the police commissioner.

Wildman in an earlier interview with the Observer said the statements made James reflect his genuine feeling of concern that a court order in favour of its members was not being carried out, despite numerous attempts to have the matter resolved by the high command and the relevant Government ministry.

“The applicant seeks this honourable court’s intervention to protect the applicant’s right to express a genuine feeling and concern about the welfare of the members that the applicant was elected to represent.

“The applicant therefore seeks an order quashing the various disciplinary charges brought by the [high command] against the applicant and its consequent reduction in salary and the interdiction of the applicant,” the attorney stated.