The Police Welfare Association is supporting only Stephen Williams for the post of Commissioner of Police, president Emrol Bruce said yesterday.

A contingent of officers from the association, dressed in blue, filled the public gallery during yesterday's debate on the resolution calling on the House of Representatives to approve the nomination of Williams as CoP.

Speaking to the media during the tea-break, Bruce was asked about Acting CoP James Philbert.

"Mr Philbert was not the candidate selected (by the PSC). If he was, we would have supported him," he said.

"We want the process completed so that the Police Service could have a Commissioner of Police and police officers could feel motivated to perform their functions."

Asked if police officers did not feel motivated with Philbert at the helm, he replied: "We are in limbo...Nothing is done to cause us to feel good about ourselves."

Stating that it appeared Government had a political agenda for rejecting Williams's nomination, he called on Government to stop demoralising the police service.

"It is only in war-torn states that you see police and soldiers running up and down the road. That is nonsense. The police need to be respected. They need to be given what is due to them so that they could do the job for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago," he said, to loud clapping.

He declined comment on a "secret meeting" between Prime Minister Patrick Manning, National Security Minister Martin Joseph and Williams. But Secretary Neil Warner-Paul was "certain" that a member of the media "with connections" would have known about "that meeting". Congress of the People Acting Political Leader, Prakash Ramadhar, meanwhile said the allegation that there was a meeting, "assuming that it is true, was frightening". He called on the Prime Minister to state whether this meeting did take place. He said Manning had no business in such matters.

He added that Government was intent on undermining the foundation stones of the Constitution and said this was further evidence of dictatorial tendencies.