Do not be influenced by “wrong things” – Top Cop to Ithaca youths

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken on Saturday challenged young persons in the West Berbice community of Ithaca, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) to not be influenced into committing wrong acts. At the time, the Commissioner was conducting community outreaches.
Hicken, while addressing the crowd, told the residents that the Police Force is currently undergoing a transition to being a more modernised and service-oriented organisation to meet the needs and overcome the challenges of contemporary policing.

“We want to create an environment where residents in every community feel safe and secure and where the youths are the future and must be able to achieve their full potential,” he told the residents.
Alluding to the fact that he is down-to-earth and practical, the Top Cop urged the residents to be at the forefront of the change that they want to see and to have a cohesive and close-knit community at Ithaca.
On this note, he urged the residents to come together and look out for each other.
He urged residents to also form a community WhatsApp group which will aid in information sharing and crime-fighting. Also, he instructed that Community Policing Groups in the community be formed/resuscitated.
Recently Hicken had urged the Force’s ranks to aim to change the negative image and perception members of the public have of the Force. As such, the Commissioner (ag) has been making every effort to do so.
“…we must regain the public’s trust and confidence and we must do everything in our power to rebuild and improve the image of the Force and regain the trust of the people,” he said.
Since he took office in March this year, Hicken has been doing several community outreaches with the aim of fostering a better relationship with the public. This is in keeping with the Force’s five-point strategic plan, one of which focuses heavily on building partnerships with communities and civil society to create safer environments countrywide.

Outreach
Focusing on the youths present, Hicken made a special appeal: “The youths today must understand that they are the leaders of tomorrow. You need to understand the difference between right and wrong. You must not be influenced to do the wrong things…I plead with you and I make a special appeal to you as the Commissioner of Police.”
The Commissioner also made it clear that “drugs kill….and I will be frank, I have never seen a ‘retired thief man’ in my life”. This remark by the Top Cop evoked a round of applause from the residents.
The residents were also told that a Zara Computer Centre and a Skills Training Centre is earmarked for the community and this will be of tremendous benefit to all residents, especially the youths. Residents raised a number of concerns with the Top Cop who gave the assurance that each of the concerns will be addressed.
One youth raised a concern about lack of sports gears or facilities, to which the Commissioner promised to send in five footballs, five basketballs, and cricket gear. He also noted that the Police Force’s football team will challenge a team from Ithaca, and the match will be played on Sunday, July 10 in Ithaca.
One resident raised concerns relating to a deplorable dam in the area, to which the Commissioner called a Government Minister who assured the residents that the dam is slated to be fixed.
Through the intervention of Commissioner Hicken, who called a member of the corporate sector, 10 desktop computers will be donated to a resident of Ithaca to be used for the benefit of the community.
The businessman, whom the Commissioner put on speaker so the residents could hear him, assured that the computers will be donated by next Friday.
Also, within three weeks, a Scouts Group will be formed at Ithaca, something that Hicken has been pushing for in communities across Guyana.
Meanwhile, Commander Simon, in brief remarks, thanked those present for coming out in their numbers to meet with the Commissioner of Police.
Following the engagement, hampers were distributed to the appreciative residents.