Inspector transferred after stopping senior Policeman’s friend at roadblock

…claims victimisation

A Police inspector who was attached to Central Police Station in New Amsterdam, Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) has been transferred to ‘C’ Division because he refused to take a call on a civilian’s telephone.
Reports are the incident occurred at the Berbice River Bridge in March after the inspector had stopped the civilian at a Police roadblock.
This newspaper was told that Inspector Godfrey Playter stopped a civilian on March 22 and as he approached the vehicle, the driver pushed out his cellular phone and demanded that the inspector take the phone to speak to the person on the line. However, Playter refused telling the driver that his decision not to take the call was premised on the fact that his commander had given clear instructions not to encourage such practice. He was later told that the caller on the phone was a senior Policeman.
Following the incident, there was an inquiry by two Assistant Commissioners and following that the inspector was transferred with immediate effect.
Guyana Times was told that the inspector was transferred with immediate effect and also without any accommodation, which is not in keeping with common practices of ranked officers, who are being transferred.
Meanwhile, having felt discriminated, Playter, who has been a member of the GPF for over 33 years, penned a letter to Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan. In this letter, which was seen by this newspaper, Playter wrote that he was told that his decision not to take the phone call was viewed by the senior Police Officer as being disrespectful.
The letter to Ramjattan stated, “my refusal to take the said call was premised on the fact that my commander had given clear instructions, which were adhered to by me in the execution of my duties.

In addition, he had precisely stated, that should anyone complain that they can be directed to call him and he will give further instructions.”
“…this serves to remind me that there are other worse situations involving other ranks which are met with little or no sanction and therefore as a rank who understands the fundamentals of justice to an extent and would have sought to dispense same in performing my duty became a victim of such miscarriage. In this context, I, therefore, seek your intervention to halt such callus conduct of my superiors in future instances,” the letter addressed to the Public Security Minister said in part.
Meanwhile, the letter was also sent to Attorney General Basil Williams and Ministry of the Presidency.
In April, Minister Ramjattan had promised to investigate but this newspaper was told that there has been no word on the matter since then.
The inspector, Guyana Times was told is hoping that other officers will not have to suffer the high-handedness and inconvenience by senior officers, who use their high officers to satisfy the wishes of their friends.
On Saturday, this newspaper was told that one of President David Granger’s advisors attached to the Ministry of the Presidency has since contacted Playter and assured him that the matter is being investigated by her office.