The Public Security Ministry, in collaboration with the Guyana Police Force, on Friday commissioned the new state-of-the-art 911 emergency system at the Brickdam Police Station in Georgetown.
The new system would be taken to 52 other locations, to promote better Police
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine
response while enhancing crime-fighting efforts.
Some 46 officers of the GPF have been trained to operate the newly commissioned 911 system, which has been commissioned to respond to calls from citizens across Guyana and to elicit prompt Police response.
In addition, citizens can send text messages to 911 instead of calling, and the operators can render assistance. The system is being reintroduced, with the assistance of local telephone companies GTT and Digicel, after several years of non-operation.
Acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine said it is monumental now that the service is commissioned. He said that ranks of the GPF have been trained to
911 operators at the Brickdam Police Station, Georgetown during the relaunch of the emergency system
handle the system, and urged them to put their training to use to uplift the dwindling image of the Force.
“Now, while my happiness is true, I am deeply concerned to the extent that while we have provided sufficient and adequate training for you, the operators of this system — you who would be handling the units; you who would be listening to the phone calls — I want to urge you with great pains and concern to remind you of the type of courtesy, of the type of quality of service that is required and expected of you. I have made statements proper to this occasion about the quality of our services, and we need to improve it,” Ramnarine said.
He noted that while the GPF physical infrastructure is improving at a rapid pace, there is sadly a large gap in regard to ranks’ attitude and behaviour towards work, colleagues and the public.
“So I can only urge those of you who will be engaged in ensuring that the 911 system is functional that we are all here thinking that it will (be) something useful, not something mirroring the challenges of the past,” he added.
Meanwhile, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan said it was a huge development, and should not be downplayed in any aspect. He also expressed gratitude to GTT and Digicel for their technical support and collaboration on the project.
The minister announced that in order to ensure the Police have the necessary response tools, the Government will soon hand over several pickups, buses and all-terrain vehicles to the GPF. These vehicles were donated to Guyana by the Government of China.
He also urged the public to scrutinise the actions of the Police Force to ensure transparency and accountability, and assured that a holistic approach was being taken towards ensuring that the new 911 emergency system is not a repeat of the poor service that was provided in the past.
