The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is expected to undergo some major shake-ups in 2019 aimed at enhancing the performance of the country’s premier law enforcement agency so as to better serve citizens.
According to newly appointed Police Commissioner Leslie James, a reformed Police Force can be expected in the first quarter of 2019 as they work on implementing a series of recommendations that were made as part of the United Kingdom (UK)-funded Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP).
“The Guyana Police is at a very important juncture where we are, in a deliberate way, rolling out a plan which flowed from recommendations and by March 2019, it is expected that there will be a much-reformed Guyana Police Force,” he stated.
Without going into detail about the reforms, the Top Cop on Thursday told reporters at his first media conference since becoming Commissioner, that some of the broad areas the Force will be focusing on going forward includes human resources management, training and infrastructure.
The latter, James noted, will see several Police stations being remodelled and modernised.
“Those stations are outfitted with modern type units dealing with the one-way mirror, units to deal with forensic-type interviews, domestic violence among others. This is expected to have a better interaction with members by the Policemen and women who will be stationed there. They will be in a much more comfortable environment and it will bolster our efforts to give better service to the citizenry,” he added.
One such station has already been commissioned at Mackenzie, Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) while another at Aurora, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), as well as an additional 16 such stations are to be rolled out in the coming weeks, the Police Commissioner noted.
Furthermore, the Top Cop stated that efforts are also on the way to ensure that Police stations across the country are fully-equipped to serve their respective communities with the allotment of not only vehicular resources but adequate Police presence as well.
In fact, Commissioner James explained that among the constraints the GPF faces in crime fighting is the ability to patrol the six Police divisions and the response time to crime reports. These, he added however, will be addressed as part of the Force’s reform.
The Police Commission went on to note that all the policing divisions are outfitted with an Operations Room and if persons do not get a favourable response from their community stations or outposts, then they should contact this unit which is at all times equipped with officers as well as vehicles.
Moreover, as the Force moves forward with its reform, plans are also afoot to enhance its marine capacity. In fact, only Wednesday a meeting was held with a stakeholder who made a presentation on boosting the Force’s marine capability.
In addition, the Force is also looking to establish an aviation wing. “This is very important because if this country is a serious investment destination, it means that we have to engage in best practices, which includes aviation capability,” the Top Cop told reporters.
On the issue of weeding out corruption within the Police Force, James asserted that this plague must be a “thing of the past” and as such, they have been encouraging senior officers, especially Divisional Commanders, to engage ranks and remind them of their professionalism so as to keep them on track.
However, the Top Cop pointed out that corruption, especially bribery at roadblocks, is an individual decision which is being encouraged by members of the public who make the offer first.
“Corruption is a decision made by an individual, it’s not for the want of training ranks would get involved in corruption; it’s a [personal] decision… [But I want to say] without an offer, there can’t be an acceptance… We don’t hear reports of Policemen going into anybody’s pockets which is highly suggestive that when the rank might have list the charges to the offender, they themselves might have put things to the Police, who unprofessionally would engage in corruption. So it’s not that corruption will be wished away, we’re fully aware of it and it will be minimised because we are addressing it in a deliberate manner,” the Police Commissioner stated, while adding that since assuming his post in August, he has not had any reports of corruption at road blocks before him.
In ensure that these reforms are being implemented, Commissioner James is currently on a tour of the various policing divisions where he is sensitising ranks as well as the public on the new path the Force is heading on.
Visits were already made in A (Georgetown-East Bank Demerara), B (Berbice), C (East Coast Demerara), D (West Demerara-East Bank Essequibo) and E Divisions (Linden-Kwakwani), while the new Top Cop along with a team of senior officers will soon be visiting F (Bartica-Interior locations) and G (Essequibo Coasts-Islands).
