Region 10 Police Commander, Superintendent Guy Nurse, on Wednesday announced a 17.5 per cent reduction in serious crimes for the year thus far within Police Division 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice)
The division hosted its Christmas Luncheon and Awards Ceremony at Amelia’s Ward, Linden on Wednesday, and ranks have been recognised for their commitment to the job and hard work done throughout the year 2023.
Nurse also outlined that the division has experienced a 0.3 per cent decrease in summary crimes, and reported a ‘quiet’ traffic situation which points to a decrease of 15.4 per cent in traffic incidents thus far.
Moreover, he mentioned successes in Regional Division 10 throughout the year 2023 in terms of seizures of firearms, ammunition and narcotics. Several such matters are presently before the court.
Meanwhile, over 40 ranks, including Community Policing Groups, Cops and Faith, the various Station Management Committees, and Road Safety Committee, were awarded for outstanding performances.
The Best Cop title went to Constable Moore, while Lance Corporal Benjamin was awarded the Runner-Up Best Cop.
As of last month, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) recorded an overall reduction in serious crimes, but Head of the Criminal Investigations Department, Wendell Blanhum, had indicated that the number of murders in the country during this period had increased.
Crime Chief Blanhum disclosed that a total of 133 murders were recorded so far this year, compared to 108 for the corresponding period in 2022.
Serious crimes stood at 1149 incidents, compared to 1397 last year – a decline of 17.8 per cent. Except for murders, seven of the 10 categories of crime recorded a decrease. The other two categories – robbery with aggravation and kidnapping – had no reports this year.
During this reporting period, ‘plain robbery’ declined by 15 per cent, with 17 cases; robbery under arms dropped by 23.1 per cent, with 319 cases; robbery with violence reduced by 33.9 per cent, with 37 cases; and larceny from the person went down by another 33.3 per cent, with 34 cases.
Armed robbery with the use of firearms was the most prevalent type of robbery, with 189 reports. Regional Division 4 ’A’ (Georgetown) accounted for the highest number of gun robberies during this time.
Moreover, for the other categories of serious crime, there were 54 cases of burglary reported to date, representing a 44.8 per cent decrease, while ‘break and enter and larceny’, which is the most prevalent crime occurring across the country, went down by 15.7 per cent, with some 362 cases.
Georgetown has accounted for the highest seizures of illegal firearms, with 36; followed by Regional Division Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), with 17; Regional Division 4 ‘B’ (East Bank Demerara), with 16; and Regional Division Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) with 15.
Pistols are the most prevalent weapon recovered, and are the preferred type of firearm for criminals, given its capacity to hold more rounds of ammunition. So far this year, some 77 pistols have been recovered, along with 30 shotguns, 17 revolvers, three rifles and one sub-machine gun.
