GPF moving towards a more scientific, data-driven approach to fight crime – Min Benn

– says DNA lab and Command Centre functional; Geographic Information System mapping ongoing

While there is a perception that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) needs to become more scientific in their approach to crime fighting, at least one critical component of that scientific-based approach, the $1.049 billion Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL), is now able to do DNA testing.

On Sunday, the Caribbean Association of Private Investigators held its first meeting at the Cara Lodge Hotel, where a number of participants spoke on the issue of policing in Guyana and the role the organisation can play.
In particular, Dr Clairmont Featherstone, a security consultant who was invited to speak at the event, noted the importance of the Police adopting a more innovative, science-based approach to policing.
He told an anecdote of a French Police Officer who was able to decipher the origins of several travellers who stowed away on a ship. This enabled the French Police to deport the men to the correct country.
“They said to him, tell me how you know I come from British Guiana. Here what the French Police said to him. He said the only two people in the world who does talk like y’all, is people from British Guiana and people from Belize. You are not from Belize, because your accent doesn’t reflect Spanish creole. It reflects British creole. So, the time has come for our Police to be trained in such a way, that they can provide scientific policing.”

In an interview with this publication, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn spoke of some of the more scientific-based approaches the Police have been moving towards. For instance, Benn explained that the GPF can now benefit from the services of the Forensic Lab, which he said can now do DNA testing to assist in investigations. In fact, he said the lab is also looking at offering DNA services for civilians.
“There were some issues which they’re working at in terms of the laboratory procedures and analysis and bringing up new instrumentation, ICP and other forms of analytic instruments. And in terms of having the analysis at the forensic lab done in an accredited way.”
“They are well on the way to completing those and should be fully accredited to international standards. There are some administrative issues in terms of timeliness of the work and having manning levels beyond five days… but it’s working. They have just started doing DNA tests,” Benn said.
When it comes to the Command Centre, the multimillion-dollar CCTV facility that was operationalised in 2019 to monitor criminals, suspects, and vehicles involved in crimes, Benn said this is also functional.
The centre was implemented through the National Broadband Strategy and Programme, as well as Chinese company Huawei, with funding from the China Exim (Export-Import) bank. According to Benn, the centre will also be complemented by the ongoing mapping of the city, including crime hotspots.
“It’s now almost fully staffed. We’re looking at having additional cameras put in place and adjusting areas where we need better coverage. But it is being fully staffed now,” the Minister said.
“There is mapping being done. There may be issues relating to exploring and obtaining better synergies between agencies, but that is all being done. There is crime mapping done in a GIS format and there’s the ability to identify the active hotspots as we man up the command centre,” the Minister also said.
The Caribbean Association of Private Investigators is registered in both Guyana and Barbados and its aim is to network and share information with private investigation agencies in Caricom and around the world.
The main objective of Sunday’s meeting was to discuss ways in which the agency can assist the Guyana Police Force in the fight against drugs, people smuggling, money laundering and terrorism.