THE Supreme Court on Wednesday granted an application by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Wayne Cameron for an ex parte injunction preventing Police Commissioner Dr Kevin Blake from removing him as the head of the Police Officers’ Association (POA).

The court also granted Cameron’s application for a stay of implementation of the decisions by the commissioner in relation to Cameron until a judicial review scheduled for October 8.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday, Cameron repeated his claim that the commissioner of police has no authority to remove a POA chairman from his position.

“It is clear that we’ll have to test the legality of the commissioner’s actions because from what we know, he would have overstepped his bounds,” said Cameron as he reiterated his position that the POA chairman is selected from the floor of the association’s conference at which more than two-thirds of the officers of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are present, and that was done at the last conference in November 2022.

He pointed out that Dr Blake has called a meeting of selected officers of the JCF for this morning to which he has not been invited and argued that this is also a cause for concern.

“And so I will be discussing that move, as well, with my attorney today (Wednesday),” added Cameron.

The POA chairman rejected the commissioner’s claim that “reports of alleged indiscipline and misconduct by the chairman may compromise the conduct of the POA, particularly at a time when the organisation is required to engage in highly technical salary and benefits negotiations with the Government of Jamaica”.

According to Cameron, the misconduct charge, which was recently sent to the Police Service Commission against him, refers to a 2020 incident which he was already challenged about and cleared.

“You cannot remove someone from office without a tribunal, without it being heard. So an allegation is an allegation. If you are judge and jury, then by all means you can refer to someone as being indisciplined, but what I do know is that anyone who is indicted by any form of impropriety would have to be brought before a tribunal.

“That has not been done… I have not been brought before any tribunal,” said Cameron.

He also scoffed at claims that he breached JCF rules by actively campaigning in the lead-up to the recent general election.

“That is absolute rubbish,” declared Cameron.

“I am a man of principle, and I respect my office and my organisation too much. I was never involved in any election campaign. I would expect people to put that type of foolishness out there but it is not true, in fact, that is just laughable, absurd,” added Cameron.

He told the Observer that he believes that he still has the support of the majority of more than 300 members of the POA despite reports that a meeting he called on Tuesday was abandoned because no one turned up.

“One person turned up and the others were unavoidably absent but I have not had any complaints from the majority members of the POA,” said Cameron.

In a release to JCF officers on Monday Dr Blake did not give specifics of the allegations against Cameron; however, he said the high command’s position was reinforced by reports of the executive’s failure to meet to conduct the business of the POA, as well as to convene a general meeting over several years.

The release said the commissioner’s action was exercised under his powers of superintendence over the police force, and was “necessary to safeguard the interests of all gazetted officers”.

It also said that, in the interim, the remaining members of the POA executive will appoint a chairman pro tem who will lead the association into a special general meeting for the purpose of electing a new executive in accordance with established conventions.

The high command also said it will provide support, where necessary, to facilitate a smooth and timely transition.

Dr Blake is expected to expand on his plans for the POA when he meets with officers this morning.

CAMERON… the commissioner of police has no authority to remove a POA chairman from his position .