The issue became public after Opposition MP and People’s National Movement Chairman Marvin Gonzales questioned Guevarro’s whereabouts and whether the Police Service Commission had formally designated an acting commissioner. Police sources confirmed to the Trinidad Guardian that Guevarro had taken several days of emergency leave, while Benjamin said he had assumed responsibility for overseeing the service from Aug. 13 and that the TTPS continued to operate through its established chain of command. Criminologist Randy Seepersad said the absence of the commissioner did not necessarily create a leadership problem because senior officers remain available to manage the service under its existing command structure.

Former Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith has disputed that interpretation, arguing that a senior deputy cannot automatically assume the statutory office of commissioner without a formal appointment. Griffith has called for a change to the law governing acting appointments, saying the current system requires Parliament to authorize an acting commissioner and can create difficulties when the commissioner is temporarily unavailable. The issue has historical precedent: Parliament reconvened in October 2025 to facilitate Benjamin's appointment as acting commissioner while Guevarro attended an international police conference in the United States, while a 2021 legal dispute over Griffith's tenure also led to questions about who had authority to temporarily lead the TTPS.