Top Cop urges Police graduates to be “the catalyst for change” within GPF

Top Cop Clifton Hicken along with Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ Calvin Brutus and Deputy Commissioner ‘Operation’, Ravindradat Budhram on Monday met with scores of Police officers and ranks who recently graduated with their diplomas and degrees, including Master’s, from the University of Guyana (UG) and other academic institutions.

Hicken lauded the graduates for their academic achievement while noting that it augurs well for the Guyana Police Force, which is moving in the right direction.
“I think history is now being created here as this is the first time a Commissioner of Police is addressing a gathering of university graduates and he also would have graduated,” Hicken posited.
The acting Top Cop, who himself recently graduated with a Master’s degree (specialising in Human Resource Management), is also pursuing his Doctorate (PhD), which he was quick to point out is not to compete with anyone but to satisfy himself knowing that he has and will continue to put the Force and country first, and it is never too late to study.
“I am fading out but I am putting structures in place to ensure continuity,” Commissioner Hicken stated.

He urged the graduates to always continue to further their studies and to aim to scale higher academic heights, as they are integral to the succession planning of the Force.
On this note, he alluded to the examples being set at the Executive Leadership level of the Force by pointing out that, for instance, Deputy Commissioner Brutus has a Doctorate and is pursuing another PhD, in addition to having a Master’s degree and an LLB.
He also alluded to Deputy Commissioner Budhram, who has a Master’s degree and an LLB, among other qualifications; and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, who has a Master’s degree and an LLB among other qualifications.

Commissioner Hicken made reference to the Head of the Corporate Communications Unit, Mark Ramotar, who has two Master’s degrees.
“If you feel that you are an Inspector or a Sergeant and you don’t have to go back to school, I think that is a wrong idea as you are never too old to study. Every day you learn something new. We live in an evolving society and we have to be ready and remain relevant,” he told the graduates.
“The demands of yesterday will always be different from the demands of today and those of tomorrow. We are living in a technological era where we are not private anymore, especially given the popularity and reach of social media. As leaders, it is not what is done but how it is done.”
Noting that the Guyana Police Force is on a rapid upward growth trajectory, Commissioner Hicken said academia, discipline and commitment among the members will be key if the GPF is going to be relevant and competitive.
Hicken also indicated that sometime next year, he wants to meet with the parents of policemen and women in the GPF. “The reason why I want to meet with them is because they made the ultimate sacrifice to allow you to join the Guyana Police Force knowing that there is a likelihood that you could be injured or killed in the line of duty,” he said.

Commissioner Hicken was thorough in outlining the trajectory of the Guyana Police Force for the next few years, as well as the expectations of persons who graduated. He urged the graduates that their commitment must be to the nation, and driven by their commitment to the oath they took to “serve and protect”.

Catalyst for change
“Your commitment will speak volumes if we are cohesive, and your commitment will take the organisation in the direction where we need to go. In the GPF, like the public service, we have rules and regulations that we must adhere to and the things that can spoil this organisation are by being irresponsible and indisciplined. As the Guyana Police Force forges ahead, you are the change agents and you are considered the catalyst for change. Challenges will increase and you will have to learn how to mitigate those challenges as you take the Force forward in the future,” the acting Top Cop added.
He also urged the gathering that when making decisions they must first look at all the variables, as whatever decisions they make must be in keeping within the framework of the laws and policies of the Guyana Police Force.

Dawn of a new era
“Today brings the dawn of a new era where we expect that in the execution of your duties, that you perform at a higher standard and you also focus on community building and forging partnerships that are external of the organisation.”
“Much is given and much is expected. Your attitude will determine your altitude. Create the positive change that you want to see in the Force,” he said, in his motivational message to the ranks.
Deputy Commissioner Brutus, in his remarks, also glorified the graduates. “Today is a day of achievement in the Guyana Police Force. Today we want to speak with you, to encourage you, and to congratulate you for your successes from the various institutions that you just graduated from.”
He noted that the University of Guyana (UG) has the largest grouping of graduates, followed by some smaller groupings from other institutions such as Nations University and Texila University.
He also referenced the fact that the Guyana Police Force’s Academy recently concluded a Foreign Language course for Police ranks, of which the first batch of ‘Spanish speakers’ graduated.
He noted that the GPF Academy is accredited locally and committed efforts are underway towards international law enforcement accreditation hopefully by June of next year.
Brutus also noted that education is a key pillar that the World Bank uses as a criterion to assess development. He noted that access to education and the various levels of education is seen as development, and the larger number of qualified persons in a country gives that country a higher rating on the Index.
He added that with the growing number of qualified persons in the Force, he is hoping to see a change in attitude, output and standards which will move the Guyana Police Force to a modern organisation that all of us can be proud of. (GPF)