Superintendent of Police Linden Lord has been appointed Commander of ‘E’ Division (Linden-Kwakwani), replacing Senior Superintendent Anthony Vanderhyden, who proceeds into retirement after served in that capacity for eight months.
New E Division Commander, Superintendent of Police Linden Lord
This was the final week for Vanderhyden, who has been with the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for 37 years, and who served in the capacity of Divisional Commander from February 19 this year.
Lord has been a member of the GPF since 1985, and was serving mainly as an investigator of serious crimes in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). He has over 28 years of experience in criminal investigative services.
He took up the new post earlier this week, and has shared some of his plans to move ‘E’ Division forward.
“I’m happy for the exposure as a Divisional Commander. (This is) my first position as a Commander”, he told this publication. “I would have worked (at) several branches and divisions, including Narcotics Branch, Presidential Guard area… I have worked at CID Headquarters. I was also involved in (investigating) many of those high profile crimes in this country; (and was) part of the investigations (of) both the Bartica and Lusignan massacres. I was integrally involved in those investigations”, he continued.
Lord said he intends to work closely with members of the community in the fight against crime.
“In terms of crime-fighting, I intend to get the Intel team up and running, so that most of the operations or crime investigations would be intelligence-led. That is the way that the Force is trying to go at this time, instead of willy-nilly. You get your Intel and you work on it, and it makes your case more successful. So I am intending to get the CID ranks involved and getting an Intel Group, so that when we go to do certain investigations, (they) can be intelligence-led and we can be better able to get success out of those investigations. I plan to do that very soon”, he explained.
Collaborate with CPG
‘E’ Division’s new Commander also plans to work closely with Community Policing Groups (CPG) and youths. He assured that narcotics eradication exercises will also continue in the Division.
Former E Division Commander, Senior Superintendent Anthony Vanderhyden
Lord indicated further that he has an open door policy. “Members of the public can come here at any time…Anybody is welcome here at any time to see the Commander with any issue…the main thing for me is to fully understand the culture of the people”, he said.
Lord has since attended a meeting with the Cops and Faith network, which he noted intervenes in solving domestic matters, as he pointed to future collaborations in having such matters pacified. Additionally, he has met with Linden Mayor Waneka Arrindell, Regional Chairman Renis Morian, Regional Vice Chairman Elroy Adolph and others, as he announced outlined plans to work closely with Region 10 officials and stakeholders with the common goal of crime reduction.
Meanwhile, at a retirement event hosted for the outgoing Commander last week, Vanderhyden declared that he is leaving with mixed emotions. Vanderhyden recalled joining the GPF in the first batch of apprentices on June 1, 1981, and noted that he is leaving the Force at a time when it is “solid”.
“It’s been a long journey”, he told ranks and other stakeholders.
Crime fighting
The outgoing Commander also referenced implementing strategies for crime fighting in Linden, which he said is evidenced by the lowest level of crime and traffic violations in the country. This, he noted, was made possible through a collaborative effort with ranks of the community.
In his final advice to ranks, he urged them to remain professional and work towards self-development, noting that he has worked hard and is satisfied.
“You’ve got to be professional. You have to be smart. You got to work right…Integrity, professionalism; you’ve got to be disciplined and listen to the people above you…If you don’t have merit you will not make it to the next level…I have never had a charge sheet. I was never absent from duty, and I’ve worked the years to this level. I want to thank the administration of the Force for seeing the ability in the work that I’ve done to bring me to this level of (being) the Divisional Commander…I want to say to all of you at this time that it was good working with you…We have done our best…”, he said.
Vanderhyden also urged ranks to pay attention to the new reform programme and the new Police Service Commission, noting that they will now have to be more accountable. He said ranks must educate and make themselves marketable, noting that there is a lot of work to be done, as he challenged them to ensure that they make it happen.
Ranks were also urged to take advantage of available facilities to continue to work towards making Linden a safe place.
The outgoing Commander also thanked members of the community, as he urged ranks to continue working along with them in an effort to develop the level of trust and confidentiality needed.
“I am leaving you and I’m going into the civilian life. I have some plans that I have already started, and I will continue to work on that…I know for a fact that I’m going to miss all of you…but I want you to show appreciation, respect, professionalism, courtesy, integrity and everything to the new Commander, so that we will be able to work together to make Linden safe”, he concluded.
