The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has issued a total of 5048 body cameras to frontline ranks, according to Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken. This, he said, is “to improve accountability during public interactions with traffic stops.”
The GPF is working to introduce a system to automatically analyse the footage obtained from body cameras “for early detection of misconduct, training needs and procedure gaps,” the Commissioner said on Friday.
Hicken previously warned that traffic ranks must only stop vehicles if they are wearing body cameras, as this will promote greater transparency during interactions with drivers and members of the public.
In addition, the commissioner said several initiatives are being implemented to digitise the services of the GPF. So far, the Force has effectively digitised the police entrance exam and learner-driver programme and launched an online platform aimed at improving accessibility, transparency and efficiency in the organisation.
It has opened more ZARA computer centres in outlying regions to assist ranks and civilians interested in improving their skills, introduced drone surveillance in selected divisions and revamped the 911 service at 52 police stations.
As it relates to the 911 emergency hotline, Hicken said, “If it’s not answered, it goes to the enquiries office, then to the sub-division officer, the commander and the two [officers in charge], so everybody must be in the know, and that is how we’re going to improve our service to the public.”
Further, police records, including cash payments, files, evidence logs, firearm licences and others, will be digitised.
“Why are we digitising the Force? [It] is because we’re going to have more information coming to us at a speed which we would like, and so the dissemination of information is necessary for us at this stage,” the Top Cop outlined.
He added that the Attorney General’s (AG) Chambers, along with Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn, is working to update the legislation governing the Force to ensure it works by the correct usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Commissioner lauded officers for contributing to a 29 per cent decrease in serious crimes and a 62.1 per cent clear-up rate of investigations this year.
Training and expansion
Meanwhile, the Commissioner noted that it continues to train police officers in key areas to improve the other ethics and functionality of the GPF.
He disclosed that a total of 10,546 ranks benefitted from 444 local training programmes, reflecting a continuous investment in learning.
Further, 697 ranks benefitted from 110 overseas training, while 1374 scholarships and sponsorships were issued to police officers.
To cater for the influx of foreign nationals now working and living in Guyana, Hicken said officers are being trained to communicate in Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin and French. These trainings will be complemented by a tourism police unit, which he said will be established shortly.
The Unit, he said, will be “trained in customer service, communication and cultural sensitivity to enhance safety in our tourism zone.”
“We have expats coming to Guyana and we need to train them with that equal respect, so yes, tourism is relevant,” he added.
As the police work to expand its services, Hicken said it had increased Community Policing Groups to 295 with a total of 4464 members, youth groups to 75 with 2222 members, and scout groups to 9 with 452 members and also conducted 234 outreaches from January to May. In addition, he disclosed that the Force has decentralised its day-care facilities to help ranks balance duty with parenting, strengthened gender and welfare services with more female ranks rising into command investigation and tactical roles, and improved public awareness.
Looking ahead, the Top Cop said efforts would be made to expand victim support services and rehabilitation programmes for incarcerated individuals in the areas of trauma, counselling and reintegration support. At the same time, a behavioural unit will be established to assess, support and enhance officers’ conduct, mental wellness, physical readiness and ethical decision-making.
