President David Granger has again brought to the fore the issue of corruption within the Guyana Police Force (GPF). At the opening of the recent annual Officers’ Conference, the President talked tough against corrupt practices, and sent a serious message to senior officers that the issue should be tackled head-on; from the top levels to junior levels of the Force.
For many years now, we have been hearing about corruption at all levels of the Force; sometimes with the involvement of senior officers themselves. When certain cases are brought to the fore, either by private citizens complaining or by way of media reports, nothing much comes out of these cases, even after investigations are carried out. Very often it comes down to officers simply being transferred or demoted, or put to perform ‘administrative duties’.
However, during his presentation at the Officers’ Conference, the President made his views clear when he stated that the practice of transferring and demoting rogue elements will not bring an end to the scourge of corruption within the GPF. He correctly stated that a Force contaminated by corruption cannot ensure the security of citizens; hence the service provided must be based on values in commitment, competence and incorruptibility.
On many occasions, senior officers turn a blind eye to corruption, and put on the line the lives of not only honest Police ranks, but those of the public as well. Just recently, the former head of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit, Deputy Superintendent Motie Dookie, was being investigated for alcohol smuggling. He has since been “temporarily transferred” to the Force’s Strategic Unit. There are several other examples of officers being accused of involvement in corrupt practices, but very little comes out of these cases.
Then there is the issue of some ranks moving around in heavily tinted vehicles in spite of several warnings for them to remove these tints. There is a tint law in place, but for quite some time now, ranks were allowed a free pass with their tinted vehicles, giving the impression to the general public that there is one law for Police officers and another for the public.
The law should apply to everyone, irrespective of their status; except in cases when the chief licensing authority grants an exemption, and in a few other special cases. As it currently stands, only certain vehicles are permitted to have tints without the expressed permission of the Public Security Minister. These include diplomatic vehicles and those belonging to senior Government and high-ranking military officials.
Added to this is that some Police officers openly break the traffic rules; and they do so with certainty that they would not be made to face the necessary charges. This level of lawlessness has reached enormous proportions, and many times, even though citizens observe the unprofessional and illegal conduct of ranks, they feel it is a waste of time to lodge the necessary complaints, as nothing would come out it.
We had stated before that the Police must lead by example. If they want to win the public’s trust, they must be seen as having integrity and decency. They must engage in serious introspection, and monitor themselves to ensure they, too, are held to higher standards. Police officers cannot be seen as breaking the same laws they expect the public to abide by.
While we do not intend to paint the entire Police Force with the same brush, as there are many professional and honest officers within the Force, we are convinced that unless what is perceived as the endemic corruption in the organisation is addressed in a holistic manner, efforts being made at Police reform would be in vain.
It should be mentioned that the Government has promised that the Security Sector Reform, which is expected to commence soon, would seek to tackle this issue that is plaguing the GPF. It would be in the Force’s own interest to employ every effort to eradicate corruption and strive to rebuild trust in the organisation. It is well accepted that the success of any organisation depends on the integrity of its officials.
