Top Cop threatens to prosecute persons who offer bribes to traffic ranks

Filed photo: Traffic ranks at Eve Leary, Georgetown (DPI photo)

Police Commissioner Leslie James on Monday urged ranks to desist from accepting bribes from members of the public.
Commissioner James also made it clear that the Force will be prosecuting members of the public who offer bribes to police since the offence is a “two-way street” involving both givers and takers.
The Top Cop issued the warning on Monday at the opening ceremony of a training programme at the Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Street, Georgetown, where he said that he is looking for a change in performance of ranks and fewer allegations of corruption in terms of bribery claims.
“Once there is no offer, there can’t be acceptance. It goes both sides, offer and acceptance, and let me warn you civilians, we are coming after you, those of you who are offering,” he said.
He charged that too often, members of the public are committing offences and then offering bribes to ranks then making claims that police are taking bribes. “You just cannot offer and then going and telling people ‘police tekking bribe’. It is better for you to say ‘civilians [are] offering bribes and police [are] taking bribes,” James said.
He added that while the Force will be engaging particular departments to tackle this issue; if the ranks believe that their salaries are too small, they should tender their resignation.
“If you’re not comfortable with your salaries, leave the job. You came on, you were told what is being offered and you decided to become an agent of the Force. How come you have an issue with your remuneration,” said James.
He told ranks that their uniforms, conduct and performance reflect the image of the Guyana Police Force and as such, they should conduct themselves in a professional manner and execute their duties in accordance with the Force’s Standard Operating Procedures.
“Read, and continue reading. Go after knowledge, read your standing orders, read the laws, read yourself into the job,” Commissioner James told the ranks.
Commissioner James stressed that action will be taken against subordinates, who fail to comply with standing orders when performing their duties as failing to do so will have far-reaching implications.
Last year, several policemen were charged after it was alleged that they accepted bribes. On October 29, 2018, three former police ranks were jailed for one year and fined for accepting a $6 million bribe back in September 2015.
Corporal Shawn McPhoy of 174 Laing Avenue, West Ruimveldt, Constable Ray Drepaul Saul of Eversham, Corentyne, and Constable Trevon McKenzie of Princeton, Corriverton, Corentyne, were charged jointly for the offence, which was committed between September 10 and 11, 2015.
The ranks had received information that a route 63 A minibus would usually be transporting drugs, guns and cash. They were provided with the vehicle number and the travel schedule for the minibus.
While in the vicinity of Springlands, East Berbice-Corentyne, they observed the vehicle and decided to stop it to conduct a search during which they discovered that the vehicle was indeed transporting a very large quantity of cocaine and cash at the time.
It is alleged that the ranks on patrol entered into negotiation with the occupants of the vehicle which led to the occupants of the vehicle handing over $6 million in cash to the ranks. The ranks then allowed the vehicle to continue its journey and even provided some amount of escort for the vehicle before returning to a police station. The ranks have all since appealed the decision and have since been placed on $50,000 bail each.
In July 2018, a rank attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) was arraigned in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on a charge of obtaining money from road users to drop a traffic charge.
Twenty-eight-year-old Police Constable Chris Brown of Lot 1590 La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, was charged jointly with Mark Collins.
The court heard that on December 7, 2017, at the Ruimveldt Police Station, while being employed by the State, Brown obtained a sum of $10,000 from Iyana Hutson as inducement or reward to forego instituting charges against Dwayne Dover for a traffic offence he had committed.
Brown was placed on bail in the sum of $5000.