Police Force achieves 61% crime clear-up rate in 2025 – Top Cop

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) recorded a 61 per cent crime clear-up rate in 2025, a landmark achievement that underscores the force’s commitment to proactive and professional policing, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken announced on Friday during the GPF’s annual Christmas Awards Ceremony at the Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary.
“As I give my presentation this morning, I want to start with a quote: ‘The time is always right to do what is right’ – Martin Luther King,” Commissioner Hicken said. “These words remind us that policing is not merely about what we achieve, but the integrity with which we serve. Today, as we honour our ranks, we recognise their constant commitment to the people of Guyana,” he said.
Highlighting the force’s strategic approach under its 2022-2026 plan, Commissioner Hicken said 2025 marked a year of transformation, with investments in technology, infrastructure, and per-sonnel aimed at modernising the service and strengthening public trust.
“We began this year with a clear vision to modernise policing, strengthen professionalism, and deepen our partnership with the public we serve,” he noted.
Under the operations pillar, the GPF strengthened traffic and road safety enforcement through technological innovations, including the Safe Roads Intelligence System and 30 newly installed speed cameras.
E-tickets rose from 800 in 2024 to 24,793 in 2025, while traffic cases increased by 10 per cent. Overall, accidents fell 15.2 per cent, demonstrating the effectiveness of data-driven enforce-ment and targeted public education.
Crime-fighting efforts also saw significant progress. Commissioner Hicken highlighted that seri-ous crime dropped 25.22 per cent, while the clear-up rate reached 61.76 per cent, an achieve-ment he described as “all-time hard work”. He credited the success to proactive policing and the establishment of regional and district intelligence networks that enable the force to detect, prevent, and respond to threats with precision.
The Commissioner also emphasised the Force’s focus on developing its personnel. In 2025, 3510 ranks were promoted through a merit-based system, 1961 officers received scholarships or sponsorships, and training was expanded to include foreign languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin to better serve Guyana’s multilingual population.
Welfare initiatives were also strengthened, including the introduction of therapist units and day care facilities in multiple regions.
Infrastructure improvements were equally significant, with five new command centres, upgrad-ed Police stations, boathouses, and IT facilities, as well as 120 new vehicles and vessels to en-hance operational mobility.
“In 2025, we are not just constructing buildings; we are building capacity,” Commissioner Hick-en said.
He also stressed the importance of accountability and professionalism, highlighting the re-cruitment and training of prosecutors, ethical performance evaluations, and a new fleet man-agement assessment system to ensure transparency.
“Accountability became a system. Professionalism was further strengthened through revised Police standards, training, and oversight to safeguard state resources,” he said.
The Commissioner concluded by urging officers to continue rising to the expectations of a mod-ern Police force.
“As we enter a new era of policing, the standards will rise, expectations will sharpen, and our nation will depend on us more than ever. Let us answer that responsibility with honour, lead with professionalism, and build a Police force that is worthy of trust and integrity,” he said.
The ceremony recognised officers across various ranks for their dedication, commitment, and exemplary service throughout the year, marking a fitting close to a year of transformative achievements for the GPF.